Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he pleaded with England boss Roy Hodgson not to play Theo Walcott in England’s final Euro 2016 qualifier after raising concerns about the state of Lithuania’s artificial pitch.
The striker, who missed most of last season with a serious knee problem, sat the game out as the Three Lions ran out 4-0 winners to secure a 100% record in qualification.
Speaking at his pre-Everton press conference the boss outlined why he’d made the request.
“We asked him [Hodgson] to consider being cautious, and to speak to Theo to ask him how he felt.
“Why? Because they played on an artificial pitch, he had come back from a long-term injury and basically nobody wants to play on artificial pitches, as we know.
“We have good relations here with Roy Hodgson. First of all England were in a very easy situation to qualify. It’s easier for him to make these kinds of decisions. As well they are close, they train here sometimes, it’s easier.
“He has worked at the clubs at the top level, he knows what it is to play big games for the clubs too.”
Earlier this week the boss laid the blame for Aaron Ramsey’s hamstring injury at the feet of the Welsh FA after they selected the midfielder to play Andorra despite the fact they’d already qualified.
good job, roy.
Woy*
What’s happening, someone using common sense is not common!
Ol’ Woy is actually a sensible chap, what gives. Its high time Fifa/ Uefa/ the Cabal/ mafia got rid of artificial turfs
Fuck interlulls
Well done Woy. It’s a wonder Walcott is walking wound not wounded unlike Gaweth and Wamsey.
Nice work Weggie Pewwin!
But we cannot hide from the fact that Ramsey is the only player who plays every single game for arsenal, is ever present at the back to defend and is the first to make the burst into the box when counter-attacking and is never subbed. I think we have something to do with the injury too, we always over-work him.
I get your point, but Ramseys hard work is his strength. If Ramsey only played offensively or defensively he would not be the same player. Average PL midfielder at best. The fact that he´s running around the pitch like crazy for 90 minutes every game is the reason he plays at Arsenal.
If he didn’t have the capability to score lots of goals (this will come back) I might agree with you.
So: box to box, goals, great attitude, willing to play out of position for the team, was captain of Wales, was wanted by Man U before he came to Arsenal
all mean that he is not an average PL player. He would be playing for an average PL club if so, like Sp*rs.
Fly you fool
So basically he is a box to box midfielder with an incredible engine, changing his style of play would take away from what makes him such a great player.
Probably doesn’t help that he had just played 180mins for Wales, 90 vs man u & 90 vs Watford and then was needed for the biggest game of our season so far so to rest him would have been silly. Hopefully Shad can work his magic on Rambo and get him back quickly & stronger than before!
The magic of the backroom was supposed to be that they would warn Wenger when any player were nearing the danger zone. I doubt they failed to recognise the danger. Wenger needs to give Ramsey and Alexis an occasional day off even if they don’t want it. He got the people in to tell him when such rests were due but he doesn’t seem to take enough notice of them. Missing five or six games through muscle injuries is NOT the same as having a break. It takes longer and it lasts so long the player loses his match fitness… Read more »
Wenger fixed his “never adapts his tactics according to the opposition we are facing”.
Now he needs to work on “resting a player when the medicos say he needs to be rested.”
Come on Arsene, I know you can do it if you try!
I am a great fan of Wenger, and usually find his stance on many kinds of issues very classy, but in this case I find him a bit hypocritical. He basically never rotates players before they get run into the ground, but then expects them to get a break when away with the national team. And even though he was apparently already concerned about artificial pitches before the international break, he still chose to play Ramsey for in both games following the break. How about we just rotate one or two players when playing the likes of Watford so that… Read more »
To be fair he was injured playing for us against bayern not playing for Wales. If Wenger thought he was going to get an injury he shouldn’t have played him either…
I thought Wales played Andorra in their last game at Cardiff on grass. The game on the artificial pitch would have been in the away game months ago.