Hello.
We play Galatasaray today and things aren't looking good on the injury front. Again. Arteta and Ramsey will both spend around four weeks out of the game with a calf and a hamstring strain respectively. Arsene commented on these two:
"There’s no logic [behind our latest injuries to Arteta and Ramsey]. We have to analyse what happened. I don’t understand".
When a player has a week's long rest and then pulls a muscle, questions arise. How has a player in question prepared for this game?
Good news is, the Interlull is close, which means Arteta (hypothetically, as his injury is not as serious) can be available right after it, while Ramsey can join us in early November. Hope this is what happens.
Also, Wilshere seems to be alright. He's a doubt for Gala, but should be good to go against Chelsea. Jack may also be available today, as he has made the squad. With all this figured out (more or less), we can try naming the side which will face the Turks.
The back five
Szczesny should start in goal. No reason to drop him. The Pole's distribution is a bit dodgy, yes, but apart from that, he's definitely more convincing than Ospina.
The defense should also remain the same. No one returned, no one seems to have sustained an injury, so I expect the usual guys to start. Arsene hinted he may explore the option of utilising Chambers' talents further up field, but I somehow don't think it's such a good idea right now. Our back four is stable, we don't want to fix what isn't broken. Especially with no Debuchy and Monreal.
The midfield
The holding position worries me greatly. Arteta and Ramsey, our most natural choices, are out, while Flamini just isn't that convincing. The sight of the Frenchman in the box for our countless corners against Spurs made me want to scream obscenities. What was our DM (and a very small one at that) doing inside the eighteen-yard box with the scores level? He should be shielding the defense in case we lose possession and a counter-attack ensues.
That's why I think it's time for Arsene to get creative. The most obvious option to me is Wilshere, if the Englishman is fit. He's quick, combative and rather good in the tackle. He'll have to be disciplined enough to sit back rather than bomb forward, though, so it may not be an ideal solution.
Another one is Diaby. The Frenchman has only just recovered, but with all the talk of how Arsene can make a good DM out of his compatriot it's perhaps time to start using Abou in that role. He'll have to play there at some point to learn the trade and the time seems to have come. However, it's more of a long-term option, as the Frenchman is unavailable for selection today.
AW can also think of less conventional choices, like Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky or even Cazorla. The Ox demonstrated his desire to track back against Borussia, Cazorla had a really good spell in central midfield in August. Rosicky is, of course, viewed more as a playmaker than a DM, but the Czech's harrying and pressing can prove useful in this new role.
However, I have a strange feeling Arsene will persist with Flamini, especially after the boss has publicly shielded Mathieu from criticism, and I don't like it. Sure, the Frenchman is a more natural def than anyone else I've mentioned, but he's still error-prone.
Ozil should be reinstated in a central role, both because he's more effective there and because our options are becoming limited. Who should be his partner? I'd say Wilshere, if the Englishman is fit and isn't deployed elsewhere. Otherwise I really want to see the Ox in the middle of the park. Oxlade played his best games there and has also been talked up by Arsene, so the time may have come to give the Englishman a chance in his future position.
The attack
Welbeck should start once again:
"If we play well collectively then he will score. He's integrated very well into our team".
However, the fact that Danny's finishing is off at the moment worries me. He's missed a few changes against Borussia, failed to score in his debut game against City and kicked out at thin air against Tottenham.
It's his hold-up play and dragging defenders into channels which are the Englishman's most important assets right now, but he needs to become more clinical and assured in front of goal. Simply because he's tasked with leading the line.
On the flanks I hope to see Cazorla and Sanchez. Both looked pretty dangerous in our last game and both have goals in them. I don't know where the info about Arsene being unhappy with Sanchez's team ethics came from, but our £30 million summer buy should start games when fit. Simple as that. He can make the difference, score a winner, set up Welbeck or whoever else and the Chilean's work rate is second to none.
The verdict
"The group stage is a minimum of 10 points so the home games are vital. We had a disappointing result in Dortmund and at the moment I feel that the potential is there for us.
"We don’t lose a lot but we want to find the winning edge together and we have that opportunity on Wednesday.
"It’s early but we are maybe more under pressure to win the game than if we had won the first."
Arsene's take on our tonight's clash. As far as I'm concerned a win is vital not only in terms of boosting the chances to qualify, but also because we need to go into the Chelsea game brimming with confidence. A draw against the Blues away from home is never a bad result, but it'll take our draws tally to five in seven games. Win it, and suddenly we're in the mix.
As for tonight's game, I think we have more than enough to win in terms of quality, even with all the injures. We play at home, which is also a bonus, so go for the three points. And get them.
That's it, back with a review tomorrow or Friday.
Until then and c'mon you Gunners
Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)
P.S. Giroud has signed a contract extension yesterday and it will see the Frenchman stay at the Club till 2018. Congrats to Olivier, it's no less what he deserves. Before the extent of his injury was confirmed, I wrote a piece on why Olivier is so important to us. Stand by what I've said
We play Galatasaray today and things aren't looking good on the injury front. Again. Arteta and Ramsey will both spend around four weeks out of the game with a calf and a hamstring strain respectively. Arsene commented on these two:
"There’s no logic [behind our latest injuries to Arteta and Ramsey]. We have to analyse what happened. I don’t understand".
When a player has a week's long rest and then pulls a muscle, questions arise. How has a player in question prepared for this game?
Good news is, the Interlull is close, which means Arteta (hypothetically, as his injury is not as serious) can be available right after it, while Ramsey can join us in early November. Hope this is what happens.
Also, Wilshere seems to be alright. He's a doubt for Gala, but should be good to go against Chelsea. Jack may also be available today, as he has made the squad. With all this figured out (more or less), we can try naming the side which will face the Turks.
The back five
Szczesny should start in goal. No reason to drop him. The Pole's distribution is a bit dodgy, yes, but apart from that, he's definitely more convincing than Ospina.
The defense should also remain the same. No one returned, no one seems to have sustained an injury, so I expect the usual guys to start. Arsene hinted he may explore the option of utilising Chambers' talents further up field, but I somehow don't think it's such a good idea right now. Our back four is stable, we don't want to fix what isn't broken. Especially with no Debuchy and Monreal.
The midfield
The holding position worries me greatly. Arteta and Ramsey, our most natural choices, are out, while Flamini just isn't that convincing. The sight of the Frenchman in the box for our countless corners against Spurs made me want to scream obscenities. What was our DM (and a very small one at that) doing inside the eighteen-yard box with the scores level? He should be shielding the defense in case we lose possession and a counter-attack ensues.
That's why I think it's time for Arsene to get creative. The most obvious option to me is Wilshere, if the Englishman is fit. He's quick, combative and rather good in the tackle. He'll have to be disciplined enough to sit back rather than bomb forward, though, so it may not be an ideal solution.
Another one is Diaby. The Frenchman has only just recovered, but with all the talk of how Arsene can make a good DM out of his compatriot it's perhaps time to start using Abou in that role. He'll have to play there at some point to learn the trade and the time seems to have come. However, it's more of a long-term option, as the Frenchman is unavailable for selection today.
AW can also think of less conventional choices, like Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky or even Cazorla. The Ox demonstrated his desire to track back against Borussia, Cazorla had a really good spell in central midfield in August. Rosicky is, of course, viewed more as a playmaker than a DM, but the Czech's harrying and pressing can prove useful in this new role.
However, I have a strange feeling Arsene will persist with Flamini, especially after the boss has publicly shielded Mathieu from criticism, and I don't like it. Sure, the Frenchman is a more natural def than anyone else I've mentioned, but he's still error-prone.
Ozil should be reinstated in a central role, both because he's more effective there and because our options are becoming limited. Who should be his partner? I'd say Wilshere, if the Englishman is fit and isn't deployed elsewhere. Otherwise I really want to see the Ox in the middle of the park. Oxlade played his best games there and has also been talked up by Arsene, so the time may have come to give the Englishman a chance in his future position.
The attack
Welbeck should start once again:
"If we play well collectively then he will score. He's integrated very well into our team".
However, the fact that Danny's finishing is off at the moment worries me. He's missed a few changes against Borussia, failed to score in his debut game against City and kicked out at thin air against Tottenham.
It's his hold-up play and dragging defenders into channels which are the Englishman's most important assets right now, but he needs to become more clinical and assured in front of goal. Simply because he's tasked with leading the line.
On the flanks I hope to see Cazorla and Sanchez. Both looked pretty dangerous in our last game and both have goals in them. I don't know where the info about Arsene being unhappy with Sanchez's team ethics came from, but our £30 million summer buy should start games when fit. Simple as that. He can make the difference, score a winner, set up Welbeck or whoever else and the Chilean's work rate is second to none.
The verdict
"The group stage is a minimum of 10 points so the home games are vital. We had a disappointing result in Dortmund and at the moment I feel that the potential is there for us.
"We don’t lose a lot but we want to find the winning edge together and we have that opportunity on Wednesday.
"It’s early but we are maybe more under pressure to win the game than if we had won the first."
Arsene's take on our tonight's clash. As far as I'm concerned a win is vital not only in terms of boosting the chances to qualify, but also because we need to go into the Chelsea game brimming with confidence. A draw against the Blues away from home is never a bad result, but it'll take our draws tally to five in seven games. Win it, and suddenly we're in the mix.
As for tonight's game, I think we have more than enough to win in terms of quality, even with all the injures. We play at home, which is also a bonus, so go for the three points. And get them.
That's it, back with a review tomorrow or Friday.
Until then and c'mon you Gunners
Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)
P.S. Giroud has signed a contract extension yesterday and it will see the Frenchman stay at the Club till 2018. Congrats to Olivier, it's no less what he deserves. Before the extent of his injury was confirmed, I wrote a piece on why Olivier is so important to us. Stand by what I've said