Arsene Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Chelsea.
There’s a worry over Per Mertesacker who took a blow above the ankle in the 2-1 win over Reading last weekend.
According to the Arsenal manager, “Mertesacker is still in the treatment room. I don’t know if he’s available. He is 50-50 at the moment. He has not practised at all.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains sidelined with his groin problem, and while Mikel Arteta is back in training he’s likely to be short of fitness to be considered for a game of this magnitude.
Other than that we seem to have a clean bill of health.
Wenger will be looking to record his first win over Jose Mourinho after 12 games without one.
“We have passed many tests recently,” said Wenger. “We have another test on Sunday against Chelsea that we want to pass.”
Thirteenth time lucky, hopefully.
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Quotes via @arsenal and @jamesolley
I do hope he keeps faith in Bellerin, the lads done us good against everybody else so it would seem a shame not to let him embarrass Chelsea.
“I don’t know if he’s available” what sort of management is that? There is no doubt Klopp, Mourinho or Roeder would know.
Now if Maureen had said something like that, would you have fallen over yourself and said that’s some amazing mind games which he’s playing on his opposition then?
Wenger in not showing all of his cards before match shocker.
Seriously, how late to the party are you?
He’s not late. He just wasn’t invited.
Given that today’s Thursday and Sunday’s … erm … Sunday the only way Klopp or Roeder could possibly know whether Mertesaker is going to be available is if they were psychic.
Mourinho (bless) will always know nothing.
Considering how he keep fielding Costa and gets his injury prolonged.. I’d wager he knows nothing either :p
So Moaninho is new Jon Snow? *confused*
I have viewed many poor comments here but you, my friend, are the winner when it comes to shitty comments.
It’s not even a shitty comment, it’s just a pure ignorant one backed up with bullshit, just to try and demean Wenger.
It’s almost like he was asked a question but didn’t know the answer as the club doctors and pyshio’s might not know yet.
On a lighter note, I apparently can’t spell physio….
I didn’t think anything of it. That’s how I pronounce the word after a solid session in the pub.
I just assumed you were drunk.
Loose lips sink ships
As mentioned before, Kevin Whitcher is the anti Wenger editor of the Gooner fanzine. Hence I think this comment is an attempt at humour by someone.
Yep, and the inclusion of Glenn Roeder is also a dead giveaway…
Yeah, I concur, but the inclution of Maureen118 is just blasphemy. Thus my thumbdown.
Yet one more reason I don’t read the Gooner fanzine.
Clearly, he knows but he ain’t tellin’
13 is my LUCK number.
We will kill u Maureen with your bunch of C*nts.
Attack them Gabriel Paulista
Keep that Coq up in the middle.
You’re strange Wenger’ Hips. Very strange. But I like you.
Wenger’s Hips don’t lie.
Thirteen is my lucky number! Oh this is go on a be sweet! The look on mourinho’s flappy squinty face is gonna be great.
The Gab will step up nicely if Per is out. They will park the bus and we will need to be patient. Not go gung ho and leave ourselves exposed.
If Gabriel plays then I think Wenger will prefer Debuchy who is more experienced. Either way I am confident that we will win!!!
Jose only has that records against Wenger coz we were in the process of transition.
Noq that it is almost over, our record againsy Chelsea will change starting on this sunday
COYG
MaureenO also had a lot of help from the ‘officials’!
A victory over that obnoxious one, is long over due.
A win this weekend will put the marker down for next season.
Ofcourse all outside our club will make us favourites for 4th place based on the transfer frenzy in the Manchester clubs come summer!
Manure will take part in a transfer frenzy, but City, I’m hoping not. City have some FFP constraints-52 million net this summer, I think. Unfortunately for them (but hilariously for us) a big chunk of their players are around 30 AND have ridiculous salaries. They’ll need to sell to buy their usual scale. With the salaries they have paid (think our own Sagna, Clichy, and Nasri plus Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, Dzeko) its hard to see how they’ll get a reasonable return. So, one expects they’ll take losses. I’m hoping the loses will further degrade their FFP position and add little… Read more »
That is definitely a good point about Debuchy playing if Gabriel is in there. The question then becomes does he stick with Ramsey at RW or try Welbeck there as he did in some of the matches against top teams (though most of those were on the road).
I’m going for a 5-0 win 😀
I know this isn’t related to this article, but why the hell did Th14 say shit about the celebration of the Manure failure. He started to say it was ‘Ronaldos goal’. Fuck, I love him but if he’s going to be one of those pundits he’s not going to be respected. Disgusting to have to agree with the mugmasher on this one.
However, we will beat Chelsea…..it’s very long overdue, there aren’t many teams like Chelsea that annoy me. Mourinho needs to be silenced. Come on ya Gooners.
“One of those pundits”? Take a look at all of TH14’s goals, when he scored a tap in which was made by Pires, Ljungberg or Bergkamp, Theirry’s first action was to run over to that player or take them to the corner flag to celebrate with all of the team. He made the comment based on the inherent class and respect that he had for his team mates, knowing that it’s a team game and the actions of running off, taking all the glory when you did the easiest job of the move is a big ‘fuck you’ to your… Read more »
No, you see that’s the problem you have, I’m not talking about TH14 as a player…..I’m talking about him as a pundit. What he said was wrong simple as, if Ronaldo had done it he would’ve said nothing. I commented on it because it seemed out of character with him.
TH14 used to say how lot of his goals were due to Bergkamp’s perfect assists. Bergkamp just put the ball at the right place for me, he used to say. He is no supporter of Ronaldo, remember the disappointment he showed when CR7 received the ballon d’or ? His comment was all about his ethics.
TH14 as a player is the reason that there is TH14 as a pundit. One forces the other, you can’t separate the two, which is your problem. Every boring pundit wouldn’t have said anything about it, Theirry’s class and point of view is exactly why he pointed it out, which you seem to have a real gripe about. What he said was 100% correct and I am sure Hernandez would read it and think the same, it’s selfish. And despite how obnoxious I find Ronaldo and how much of an utter prat he can be, you can’t fault Ronaldo on… Read more »
I totally disagree with you. TH14 was right. I remember Walcott’s dazzling run and dribbles across the field at Liverpool to assist Adebayor. After the goal, Adebayor went the other side to dance and show off. I found Adebayor quite an idiot at the time and perhaps now.
Exactly, Adebayor only gave a toss about Adebayor.
If Gabriel plays, then definitely Bellerin should play. Gabriel is still learning English I suppose and so it would be nice if 2 out of 3 of back four speak Spanish!
Not sure if serious or just lacking in geographical and linguistic knowledge.
(Brazilians’ speak Portuguese)
Gabriel speaks Spanish from his time at Villarreal – just as Ozil speaks Spanish from playing at Real Madrid, despite being from Germany. Sometimes people can learn a second language 😛
You could add maths, or just counting, to that list.
Where did you throw Macho Monreal? I want him back.. I hear he speak spanish too.
No doubt Moron will look to do a number on Giroud and Alexis but it won’t work and 13 will be an unlucky number for Chelsea !
I hope Gabriel takes Costa out with one of his jumping foul tackles.
To neutralize thr Hazard threat on our right wing I’d fancy Debuchy at RB and Bellerin at RW. Its just my opinion anyway
From all indications as per the boss’ update on Rhinosacker. Save any miracles, one is tempted to have a thought that Rhino’ will likely not even start from the bench for the Gunners in this bigger game. Then our probable starting back 5 are likely to be: Ospina…Debuchy/de-AbreuKoscielnyMonreal. On the bench could be: BellerinGibbs. Monreal can move to CB while Gibbs can too move to LB. And Bellerin can come on to RB. While Szczeny can come on for Ospina should there be a necessity for the boss to do any back 5 substitutions. However, Gibbs must be warned to… Read more »
Can you write a comment that makes sense ?
I know it’s off topic but I was wondering how come we don’t have a sick chant for our delightful Mesut. So I got one for you:
He came from the spanish Capital
His eyes are so wide apart
He sees the pass that no one does
He’s our magic player he’s
MESUT OZIL
yeah he’s
MESUT OZIL
(on the wrecking ball tune) That would be loud at the Emirates
obviously that was half joke/half serious. BUT WE DO NEED A GREAT OZIL CHANT HE DESERVES IT
didnt that donkey cahill take out alexis last time and go scott free. wonder who morino has plans for this time around.
Gabriel to rectify those miss headers for a hattrick off set pieces and then he will clear a ball on the sidelines that will smash that smug face of mou’s.
Win for the sake of alexis as well. Show them who’s boss in pfa voting.
Im reasonably confident, i know the team i would pick, losing per is a tactical blow, but i think gab will do fine, especially given opposition pace, the goal keeper and front 3 choice is i feel obvious, giroud, alexis ozil welbeck left to right, the only question positions remaining are a center mid place alongside coq and the right back, by which i mean do we stick to cazorla coq, or do we want ramsey in there to make us a little more solid? i personally wouldnt want to take chances putting ramsey on the right and giving up… Read more »
Capt Cazorla it is then.
I’m looking forward to being 4 nil up by 70 mins and putting Diaby on for a bit. That would be the nuts!!
Especially if Diaby does a repeat performance against the side of Cunt Terry’s head.
Our up turn in fortune past CHristmas has been the result of the return of Meterscielny make no mistake. Per has been a rock for us but struggled first half of season with unfamiliar partnerships in the inexperienced and out of position Calum (He was mainly a RB for Soton) or the out of position Monreal. No surprise most goals shipped were from wide areas be it crosses or corners which atest to the lack of positional sense of the surrogate players that made it difficult for Per. There was no world cup hangover. This was to cover up Wenger’s… Read more »
We have to keep penazard quite, I hope Koscielny or the Coq will do that. Also don’t let him run into the box because no doubt he will dive at some point and get a penalty. Just need to cut balls out to him.