I know that some Arsenal fans will argue that our manager has made a lot more than two mistakes this season, while others will have a go at me for being too negative. After all, mistakes are always made and are a part of football just like any other sport, career or anything.
So of course Arsene Wenger has made mistakes, just like every other manager in every football league across the planet and I’m sure he will make plenty more before the end of the season, but I am referring to a couple of specific and avoidable mistakes that I think may come back to haunt the Frenchman when the dust settles on the Premier League next summer.
The two decisions were his team selections in cup games. The first was to stick with David Ospina in goal for the second Champions League game at home to Olympiacos. Wenger was roundly slated for not putting Petr Cech in goal for that game and it certainly cost us that match but has also had repercussions ever since as it has forced the manager to field his strongest XI in every UCL game since.
Would he really have kept Alexis and Santi Cazorla on for the full 90 minutes against Dinamo Zagreb if we had not been in such dire straits in the group? And what are the chances that having to play all our best players in Greece next week in between two EPL games results in yet another key player picking up an injury.
The second mistake, and this one is even harder to understand for me, was in the Capital One Cup game at Sheffield Wednesday. This game was also sandwiched between two crucial EPL games against Everton and Swansea and the injury and fatigue situation was already starting to bite. I am not going to question the prof for playing the Ox as he had not been used too much but once he had to be subbed, the decision to risk Walcott in this relatively unimportant league cup match was a bad one and boy has it cost us.
With hindsight we can see that having Walcott out forced him to keep playing Alexis despite the concerns and look what happened? So will the mistakes made in the two cup games end up costing Arsenal our main priority of winning the Premier League?
your being harsh about wednesday game. the only reason theo played was because ox got injured- wenger cant see two injuries happening within 20 minutes
but resting our goalie for a champions league game- haha WHO DOES THAT?!!
Man City losing 2-0 at Stoke!
Looks like we may get another chance to go top!
I’m afraid that’s not a good Omen,
when you consider how the last 3 chances went ?
But still… It’s always nice to see our rivals dropping points ?
so if stoke beats citeh……..and we beat the cats , we go up Top?
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Are we missing something ere?
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Manure, foxes…. Anybody?
Stoke is always going to be a tough place for any side to go to, especially with the quality they now have in Bojan and Shaqiri!
Stoke 2-0 City
Come on Stoke
oh dear sagna.
a typical bench player.Only average at best
Only blaming wenger for 2 mistakes is being far too generous, according to my book of ” Wenger La coq up’s strikes back with revengeance’s”
?-“erhhhhh ..I don’t, think so”… “you have to look at my stability and balance of consistency” ..”that is the positives I take from it”
the stoke city game shows there are no easy games however city aint arsenal and i fully expect them to come back and possibly win the game. Arsenal should not be concentrating on any other result barring thier own, 2 massive cup finals this week and as long as us fans see fight,passion and win both games even if the one in greece may not be enough then il be happy. Not asking for much but these cry babies always let the fans down.
Stoke is currently schooling City. We just need a win. Winning will be difficult though considering our injury problems.
what u mean – its sunderland minus there two best players- defoe and larsson!!
an were at home!!
wtf?! is that how low our expectations are now…
sigh
Just TWO????????
.
Boy! They are way Too many….
Demichelis is City’s Mertesacker. Stoke needs to score more with the chances they are getting. City might just draw or win the game should they get a goal back.
Hahaha thats a good bet, considering that they are both City!
???
dat miss by Arnautovic !!! dang
hopefully the stoke danger man gonna find one………
he needs to complete a hatrick!
They are missing so many good chances, but 3 points is all that matters, now lets beat sundelrand and take the top !
dennis bergkamp in talks with reading to be new manager??
our dennis? denny? say it aint so bro!
haha muff…… Must he wait for wenger to rule forever?
At least he doesn’t have to worry about flying ?
Stoke need to be weary of the Iheanacho boy. He’s a good young player with a lot to prove.
Good news!
Wenger has starting taking his medication again! ?
Ramsey will be paired up with Flamini.
Koscielny is starting
we have ox and Campbell on the wings
Walcott is on the bench.
* started ?
Why is a player in the caliber of Shaqiri playing at Stock?
You took the words out of my mouth. He made Silva look mediocre.