Arsene Wenger has revealed a string of injuries and doubtful players as the team gets ready for Cardiff tomorrow and the FA Cup clash with Sp*rs at the weekend.
Olivier Giroud is definitely out with an ankle problem, while Kieran Gibbs has a hamstring issue which will see him miss the game.
There are also doubts over Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky while Nacho Monreal and Thomas Vermaelen will be monitored to see if they’ve recovered from their illness to return to the squad.
With Mesut Ozil (2-3 weeks) and Aaron Ramsey (3 weeks) also out, it means the Gunners are down to bare bones after a relatively healthy period.
The manager can call on the likes of Lukas Podolski, Nicklas Bendtner and Serge Gnabry, but it’s going to be a dig deep affair unless we can get a couple of bodies back and fit again.
Mindgames!Mind games I tell ya!
Mind Games indeed. Looking at the photos from training this morning. Jack, Theo, TV5 all in there looking alright, hard to believe that if they are all training today and none of them returning from a long lay off that they won’t be available tomorrow.
Scz
Sagna, Mert, Kos, Verm/Nacho
Arteta, Wilshire
Theo, Rosicky, Santi
Poldi
sorry, but its ‘wilshere’
He listens to the damn commentators
Flamini instead of Wilshire
See above for correct spelling of “Wilshere”.
If there is no Gibbs, Verm or Monreal, would it be a flame at left back job? Bare bones indeed.
Could play Sagna left and Jenks right.
ah, true.
Szczesny;
Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Sagna;
Flamini, Arteta; Gnabry,
Cazorla, Podolski; Bendtner
Gnabry ahead of Wilshere?
Is Wilshere out too?
There’s ‘a little bit doubt’.
jenks at right is a real worry. i’d play flamini LB, sagna right, arteta holding mid. should be more than adequate for our next 3-4 games.
Bendtner on the left wing? I don’t think that would be a great idea!
Jenks has plenty of potential. He’s still very young. He needs games and I believe that he can handle Cardiff and even cause them problems offensively. He’s a decent runner and crosser you know. But then Wenger prefers to use Sagna to provide cover for Theo and seems reluctant to trust Jenks with that role. Guess we’ll see…
Flamini played a season at LB because he’s boss. He’s all things to all people…
is that a carpark north reference?
This is scary, looks like the whole team is out
That many injuries? :O
Did the team bus have an accident?
think we will be fine we play midtable teams this week anyway!
Chamberlain coming back soon.Someone had to get injured
Woah Woah! wtf
That’s half of our first team not available :s
A 1-0 victory will do, COYG!!!
hope don Wenger sees that we have to get bigger depth now!
Why? Because when we have half of our first team squad injured we can still put out a very decent starting 11?
mmm
Well, fuck…
Can’t believe this is happening……Nah wait think i can.
Still a strong team if this happens.
Szcz
Sagna Mert kozzer Monreal
Arteta flamini
Gnabry Cazorla poldi
Bendnter
Bench. {graphic image}
The Cardiff game will be one like the Chelski game, with no substitution.
If we’re 3up at 60-70 minutes then the fringe fringe (Ryo, Dench, Eisfeld, Hayden or Zelalem) may get some game time (Where’s Afobe?).
Well Monreal might be out with an illness aswell, so we might have to play the Flame or someone else at LB.
That’s a good line-up, Goonies. I had originally thought the BFG might get a rest this match, but with so many others injured/doubtful and the Verminator only recently recovered it looks as though Mert will keep on playing. He’s indestructible anyway, so no worries.
Yep, that’s pretty mubh my lineup too. We were due for massive rotation in this match anyway, so having a few blokes out because they’re sick or carrying a minor niggle is no big deal. Let them rest so we have our best XI available for the Scum in the Cup.
Forgive any typos, it’s New Year’s and I’m kind of smashed.
Was it not yesterday that Giroud was praisisng his lack of injuries.
Time to show our depth to the media with a win tomorrow.
Was it not yesterday that Giroud was praisisng his lack of injuries.
Time to show our depth to the media with a win tomorrow.
Two types of injuries:
a) self inflict: Giroud’s body is perfect! So a) is never a problem.
b) get stud stamped: you just can’t avoid it over the length of a season.
Scz, flamini, BFG,
Kos, Sagna, Arteta, Jack, Santi, Gnasher, youngster, TGSTEL.
Should be enough v Cardiff.
So, a 2-8-0 formation with six players out of position?
Time to show depth doesnt mean spending 100s of millions, keep the faith over the trio of arteta,wilshere and cazorla!
Oh, #Aha not youngster. Doh
Definitely enough.
Someone will eventually post the right eleven.
Leighton
Anderson
Whyte
Pates
Silvinho
McGoldrick
Schwarz
Selley
Allinson
Mariner
Diawara
How’s that?
Not Selley.
He doesn’t fit our system ……..
Was Schwartz that bad? I was disappointed when he left. How about hillier? Or malz? Alberto Mendez anyone?
From two top quality left-back to no left-backs at all..We’ve got some shit luck..have to dig deep..but we’ve got the quality to beat anyone..so COME ON ARSENAL!!
We could ‘Blood’ our 18 year old No 54!
Why are people calling on Bendtner? he’s twice as sluggish as Giroud with the ball and puts in half the effort off the ball! Podolski up top all day, Bendtner can keep the bench warm.
What’s the matter with these players?
I’ll be getting totally shitfaced tonight, bed at stupid o’clock, and I’ll still manage to wake up by 1pm to get to the game tomorrow.
If I can make such a big effort, so should they.
Overpaid tarts.
I don’t think you know what an injury is
Well now you’re just being silly. Of course I do.
He was the lead singer with the Blockheads.
Sex and Drugs and Rock n’Roll is all a premiership footballer needs!
(it’s a joke – Ian Jury and the Blockheads)
Since the moment i saw more thumbs up than down to a Fatgooner comment yesterday, i was skeptical something untoward was afoot.
Fatgooner has actually made some pretty good comments lately. In other news, my pet leopard’s spot pattern changed last week and I was able to fertilize my garden after a flock of pigs flew by. What’s going on?
Yeah actually many of his comments make sense and are sometimes unfairly thumbed down…just taking the piss out of something i noticed.
Rosicky!
Be blow to lose that many, let’s hope ine of Verm or Monreal makes it and Walcott too..
Still, Vincent Tan stats for Cardiff, so every cloud.
Manninger, Grimandi, Squillaci, Stepanovs, Hoyte, Hughes, Bischoff, Petit, Owusu-Abeyie, Wreh, Boa Morte.
Sorted.
All Star Team
You have listed 10 $hit players & Petit, surely you don’t think he is in the same category is them losers?
You forgot Silvestre (shudder)
Scz
Sagna Kos Bfg Nacho This is assuming Ozil is still injured.
Wilshere Flamini
Cazorla
Walcott Podolski Gnabry
Gnabry certainly merits getting a chance while Theo and Podolski can become a dynamic duo…I can feel it in my Muddy Waters
Szczesny
Sagna mertesacker koscielny monreal
Flamini arteta
Walcott wilshere cazorla
Podolski
No, Walcott needs a rest this match. Want him for Spurms on Saturday.
Thank smeg it’s a late game against the Scum, I can sleep in all the way to 7:15a to watch it.
Feck Sky and Newcastle for causing this
And Lee Probiotic
Bartram
Lydersen
Caesar
Stepanovs
Morrow
Hillier
Jensen
Kiwomya
Malz
McGoldrick
Park
FINALLY! Someone who supports my #JUSTICEFORCHU campaign. Welcome to the party friend
The boss needs to do whatever is needed to ensure as many of our players are back to face the scum at the weekend.
Simple.
and 3 points, or is that a given now?
That’s it Mooro.
We’ve got Silvinho, we’ve got Silvinho…
Im sure Theo, Monreal & Verm will be fine
Giroud was due a rest against Cardiff anyway.
So only casualty from Newcastle is Gibbs, hopefully its not too serious.
Ozil & Ramsey however is a worry 🙁
Giroud’s ankle problem… Not the result of a Cheick Tioté ‘tackle’ by any chance????
not sure i can recall tiote making a tackle, fouls yes, tackles no
No, it stems from that revenge tackle where Giroud picked up a yellow and rolled over on his ankle.
Unfortunate, that. Tiote tried his best to injure Giroud, and Giroud ended up injuring himself.
We haven’t come all this way not to beat a managerless, promoted side in termoil, that’s near the bottom of the league!….let’s get early goals and crush them.
bendtner hatrick and poldi brace up gunners COYG
The whole team setup will depend on Nacho’s availability. If available then this team will do: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Nacho, Arteta, Flamini, Gnabry, Poldi, Bendtner
Yes, I think we can beat Cardiff with ten men and no CAM.
Been shafted recently by officials so your predicting a red card for say Rosicky?
Almunia
Stepanovs
Silvestre
Santos
Squillaci
Hillier
Denilson
Selley
McGoldrick
Baptista
Diawara
Top, top quality.
Baptista ahead of Francis “Fox in the Box” Jeffers?! For shame…
Podolski has got the best goals/minutes ratio for us in 2013 by a fair distance. Pumped to see him and his HAMMER left boot start at The Emirates again. If he’s somehow on the bench tomorrow with all those out then even he might not be smiling. Then again, he probably would be #aha
Well.. many thanks to Tiote for that..
Maybe someone need to introduce yellow zone to Wenger, so he can rest peoples before hitting the red zone.
Start XI:
Bendtner
Podolski, Cazorla,Gnabry
Arteta,Wilshere
Kos,Mert,Sagna,Jenko
Sz
Subs: Fabianski,Flamini,Walcott/Akpom, Hayden/Vermaelen, Eisfeld, Monreal/Frimpong, Rosicky
We can’t afford to drop anything this month which is full of winnable games. This is the period that will decide whether we will win the title or not. Come on!
I like that, except I’d have Flamini in for Wilshere. Wilshere picked up a knock against Chateau Neuf, and Flamini is … well, Flamini.
After this game, we’ll have two long weeks (13 days) to go snowballing knowing we are top of the league while others rivals may have to lick their wounds or look on forlonly.
So, we’ll just have to give every thing we have to win this one.
I reckon you’re about right Manchester Gooner although fingers crossed Nacho will have recovered which would make the back four look all the more comfortable.
There’s quite a tasty (albeit slightly makeshift) “Outs and doubts XI” brewing here:
Monreal; Ramsey; Vermaelen; Gibbs
Rosicky; Jack
Walcott; Ozil; The Ox
Giroud
Penalty shoot-out to see who out of Diaby and Sanogo go in goal.
I fully expect that some of those “doubts” should be at least on the bench though and we’ll have enough to smash ’em. COYG!!!!
Come on read between the lines of all this players that are doubtful only gibbs, ozil, ramsey and giroud will miss the game giroud not that because he has a ankle problem but because he need a rest, vermaelen and moreal will be back for sure I don’t know if per or kos will be rested will will see the line up for tomorrow will be :
sagna-per-kos-monreal
arteta – flamini
cazorla
walcott – bendtner-podoslki
dont leave us 2013. 2014 already looking to test us.
I expect to see an unrecognized U-18 player on the bench tomorrow that has earned a call-up from an impressive performance at his level.
We have some very good ‘youth’ and 1 or 2 really should be on the bench with a chance of some playing minutes in a game like this.
Any news on Chu Young Park’s fitness? Heard he took a knock in the U8s dramatic midweek win? Fucking hope not. I’ve been spending most of the day writing classical poetry advocating as to why Chu Young Park should play against Spurs… plan to send it to Arsene
Give it a rest, preferably forever.
should be ok for cardiff at home, they can’t stop losing. Also bemuses me how podolski, who I view as a gifted player with a venomous left foot, is perpetually benched anyways.
Jack, Arteta, Flamini and Santi look OK for the clash. Podolski should get a start out LW. He is one of our most underutilized assets. Considering he was signed earlier, Ozil has surpassed him in minutes played! Betnder should get the nod up front. I’ve been impressed with Nicklas, he hasn’t been too bad replicating Giroud given the minimal minutes he has to work with. Against cardiff at home, i’ll say give him a shot (and make sure he puts in in the back of the net) The only concern for me is RW. Maybe Wenger was worried about Walcott… Read more »
Gnabry should start this one. Perfect match to give him the chance to strut his stuff.
What are the rules concerning loans? If giroud were to get a real injury could we recall Campbell? Or are we still waiting on a work visa?
I hate this year already..