Gabriel stuck out a foot instead of getting into position. He allowed a goal in a similar situation against Bayern. I like Gabriel but we will miss Koscielny. Paulista has a ways to go before the Mertesacker haters (I'm not one) will have a real replacement option.
If Alexis is out for long then it would be a shame. But either him or Wenger needs to take the blame. I have no idea why Alexis thinks he can play football , solve hunger issues and find a cure for cancer all at the same time. The way he goes into every challenge thinking that he could win it and blows up tree while tracking back is a bit silly. Yes it looks great in the hindsight but issues run deep.
Your best goalscorer by a mile should be closer to goal and never be defending and putting his body on the lineup to win every 50/50. He has suffered knocks recently and it always going to end this way for him unless he had tried to play it safe for a bit.
@NotBiased- Wanting to play every second and win every tackle however seemingly pointless is actually a good trait for a modern footballer to have. We see so many players pussy out of every 50-50 or even 70-30s so it's refreshing to see. That style of play is ok if you're 100% fit. He didn't get injured from a 50-50 tackle, his hamstring went chasing down a standing run-through ball. Wenger has a high level of logical intelligence but a very low level of common sense. Alexis shouldn't have played today but he did and got an injury. The same has happened to Ramsey, Wilshere, Walcott, Chamberlain, Koscielny and probably others in the past. He either has a pack of morons as his fitness staff, his training methods (or lack of specialised, individual fitness/conditioning per player) are causing problems or the training is fine and he's receiving sound advice but just ignoring it. Based on the fitness staff not resigning in protest, I'd rule the last 1 out so it's Arsene's fault.
@SteveHyland Of course its a nice trait to have. But your best goalscorer should never do doing the dirty work. If players like Ronaldo , Bale and Robben were running around like that they wouldn't be scoring half as much as they do. Sanchez is a goalscoring winger. And a pretty good one too.
I don't think Wenger had choices there(even though lack of squad depth is his own fault). Giroud is the only recognised goalscorer in the current squad. So resting Alexis would have been risky. If he told Alexis go out and play his current game then of course its stupid. Should have really told him to keep things nice and simple.
@NotBiased- He shouldn't be, but I don't think Alexis would actually listen to anybody who says curb his work rate. He's been like that since at least his last season at Udinese, I don't remember seeing him before then but it's probably something he's had since he was a kid. He is more of a Luis Suarez type player than the players you mentioned and if you take that work rate away from either player, you will lose part of what makes them game-changers. Even though he's our best goal scorer, he shouldn't have played against Norwich. Failure to bring in quality understudies even though three's money in the bank is just 1 of the reasons why Wenger has to go for us to progress to the next level. Even if we win the league, we wont realistically win the champions league even though we can bat anyone in a one-off.
@NotBiased Well you're either biased or stupid, because Wilshere, Walcott and Welbeck are injured, Oxlade-Chamberlain is returning from injury, and Gibbs and Chambers are in the squad. So which is it?
@What4 Seems like it went over your head.
It was a rhetoric sarcastic post on injury prone English players in their squad(include Ramsey if you want to go a bit far). Seems like they always have a fair share of good but injury prone players. Nothing to do with slating Arsenal for not being an "English club" or anything.
Ozil didn't look happy at all at the end. I can't say I'm surprised. Arsenal have to pass him the ball more. He's their best player. Some of them seem reluctant to pass to him as they want to prove they can make something happen themselves..just give the guy the ball ...Oxlade-Chamberlain in particular. The guy looks 'dangerous' according to commentators. But he simply is one-dimensional and forces it and crosses it too much. Arsenal aren't playing with 2 target man and Lampard in his prime getting into the box from AMC. He barely gets any assists for Arsenal because he just constantly forces crosses. He should be trying to find Ozil instead.
@What4- That was a red card, in all seriousness. He basically pushed Alexis into a camera pit. That was worse than Arnautovich's push on Debuchy last season which could've ended his Arsenal career by proxy.
So it will be Flamini and Cazorla in the deeper midfield positions, with Ozil, Ramsey and Sanchez behind Giroud. I'm hoping for some early goals so we can take Sanchez off at 60 mins.
It'll be interesting to see who Wenger plays in DM. I doubt it'll be Flamini. Wenger mentioned in an interview that Cazorla and Ramsey would be an "adventurous" CM partnership so I can't see Aaron playing in the middle. I think he'll start RW though, Campbell has done ok but Aaron is one of Arsene's faves so I'd be surprised if he doesn't start. He said in the same interview that playing Ramsey on the RW gives us balance. Must remember to look up the changed definition of balance. Hopefully Sanchez is completely rested and Cazorla & Oezil taken off after an hour (providing we have a big enough lead). We can't really afford to have those 3 less than fully firing if we're to get a result in Greece in 11 days' time. Anyways, I'll go with 3-0.
@SteveHyland So do you think it will be Flamini - Cazorla or Ramsey - Cazorla? I personally hope Joel starts and Ramsey plays too but Wenger is keeping us guessing on his selection.
@Overmars- pt2. After I read his interview I meant I thought it'd be Flamini. Prior to that I actually thought Chambers a la Dier but he was shaky against Zagreb when he came on.
@Overmars- Belated, but I did think Wenger would go Flamini and Ramsey RW. Campbell will feel unlucky he didn't start but with Sanchez out for at least the next game, he'll play against Sunderland in all likelihood.
@albgunn- Arsene said he would give Sanchez a rest once we have some players back. We now have 3 players who can play on the wings (Gibbs, Ramsey, Campbell) so there's no excuse not to rest him for this and the Sunderland match.
Gabriel stuck out a foot instead of getting into position. He allowed a goal in a similar situation against Bayern. I like Gabriel but we will miss Koscielny. Paulista has a ways to go before the Mertesacker haters (I'm not one) will have a real replacement option.
If Alexis is out for long then it would be a shame. But either him or Wenger needs to take the blame. I have no idea why Alexis thinks he can play football , solve hunger issues and find a cure for cancer all at the same time. The way he goes into every challenge thinking that he could win it and blows up tree while tracking back is a bit silly. Yes it looks great in the hindsight but issues run deep. Your best goalscorer by a mile should be closer to goal and never be defending and putting his body on the lineup to win every 50/50. He has suffered knocks recently and it always going to end this way for him unless he had tried to play it safe for a bit.
@NotBiased- Wanting to play every second and win every tackle however seemingly pointless is actually a good trait for a modern footballer to have. We see so many players pussy out of every 50-50 or even 70-30s so it's refreshing to see. That style of play is ok if you're 100% fit. He didn't get injured from a 50-50 tackle, his hamstring went chasing down a standing run-through ball. Wenger has a high level of logical intelligence but a very low level of common sense. Alexis shouldn't have played today but he did and got an injury. The same has happened to Ramsey, Wilshere, Walcott, Chamberlain, Koscielny and probably others in the past. He either has a pack of morons as his fitness staff, his training methods (or lack of specialised, individual fitness/conditioning per player) are causing problems or the training is fine and he's receiving sound advice but just ignoring it. Based on the fitness staff not resigning in protest, I'd rule the last 1 out so it's Arsene's fault.
@SteveHyland Of course its a nice trait to have. But your best goalscorer should never do doing the dirty work. If players like Ronaldo , Bale and Robben were running around like that they wouldn't be scoring half as much as they do. Sanchez is a goalscoring winger. And a pretty good one too. I don't think Wenger had choices there(even though lack of squad depth is his own fault). Giroud is the only recognised goalscorer in the current squad. So resting Alexis would have been risky. If he told Alexis go out and play his current game then of course its stupid. Should have really told him to keep things nice and simple.
@NotBiased- He shouldn't be, but I don't think Alexis would actually listen to anybody who says curb his work rate. He's been like that since at least his last season at Udinese, I don't remember seeing him before then but it's probably something he's had since he was a kid. He is more of a Luis Suarez type player than the players you mentioned and if you take that work rate away from either player, you will lose part of what makes them game-changers. Even though he's our best goal scorer, he shouldn't have played against Norwich. Failure to bring in quality understudies even though three's money in the bank is just 1 of the reasons why Wenger has to go for us to progress to the next level. Even if we win the league, we wont realistically win the champions league even though we can bat anyone in a one-off.
Was nice to see Arsenal start with so many English players.
@NotBiased Well you're either biased or stupid, because Wilshere, Walcott and Welbeck are injured, Oxlade-Chamberlain is returning from injury, and Gibbs and Chambers are in the squad. So which is it?
@What4 Seems like it went over your head. It was a rhetoric sarcastic post on injury prone English players in their squad(include Ramsey if you want to go a bit far). Seems like they always have a fair share of good but injury prone players. Nothing to do with slating Arsenal for not being an "English club" or anything.
@What4- Not to mention Coquelin and Bellerin could be eligible this time next year. :-p
Ooo yay, more injuries, a chance to try our revolutionary new 4-4-1 formation.
@What4- Ha ha.
Ozil didn't look happy at all at the end. I can't say I'm surprised. Arsenal have to pass him the ball more. He's their best player. Some of them seem reluctant to pass to him as they want to prove they can make something happen themselves..just give the guy the ball ...Oxlade-Chamberlain in particular. The guy looks 'dangerous' according to commentators. But he simply is one-dimensional and forces it and crosses it too much. Arsenal aren't playing with 2 target man and Lampard in his prime getting into the box from AMC. He barely gets any assists for Arsenal because he just constantly forces crosses. He should be trying to find Ozil instead.
I see Ryan Bennett would like a surprise stabbing in a dark place. Hands off our Sanchez you beastly man.
@What4- That was a red card, in all seriousness. He basically pushed Alexis into a camera pit. That was worse than Arnautovich's push on Debuchy last season which could've ended his Arsenal career by proxy.
1-2
So it will be Flamini and Cazorla in the deeper midfield positions, with Ozil, Ramsey and Sanchez behind Giroud. I'm hoping for some early goals so we can take Sanchez off at 60 mins.
2.5 over
Rooney should feign a long-term injury and quietly fade from view if he wants to retain any dignity at all.
@hyperion All very true, but a bit lost, are we?
It'll be interesting to see who Wenger plays in DM. I doubt it'll be Flamini. Wenger mentioned in an interview that Cazorla and Ramsey would be an "adventurous" CM partnership so I can't see Aaron playing in the middle. I think he'll start RW though, Campbell has done ok but Aaron is one of Arsene's faves so I'd be surprised if he doesn't start. He said in the same interview that playing Ramsey on the RW gives us balance. Must remember to look up the changed definition of balance. Hopefully Sanchez is completely rested and Cazorla & Oezil taken off after an hour (providing we have a big enough lead). We can't really afford to have those 3 less than fully firing if we're to get a result in Greece in 11 days' time. Anyways, I'll go with 3-0.
@SteveHyland So do you think it will be Flamini - Cazorla or Ramsey - Cazorla? I personally hope Joel starts and Ramsey plays too but Wenger is keeping us guessing on his selection.
@Overmars- pt2. After I read his interview I meant I thought it'd be Flamini. Prior to that I actually thought Chambers a la Dier but he was shaky against Zagreb when he came on.
@Overmars- Belated, but I did think Wenger would go Flamini and Ramsey RW. Campbell will feel unlucky he didn't start but with Sanchez out for at least the next game, he'll play against Sunderland in all likelihood.
Please rest Sanchez! Won't take anything other than 3:0 to Arsenal!
@albgunn- Arsene said he would give Sanchez a rest once we have some players back. We now have 3 players who can play on the wings (Gibbs, Ramsey, Campbell) so there's no excuse not to rest him for this and the Sunderland match.
1-3
0-2 Arsenal. Ozil and Sanchez
Ramsey is more of a box-to-box Midfielder. Not sure of his defensive credentials. I would rather Flamini starts in that position.
@Valor I would go for Flamini and Cazorla in front of the defence, with Ramsey RW, Campbell LW, and give Sanchez a rest. Fingers crossed. Ozil MOTM.
0-2 Ozil Motm
@Overmars agree