Arsene Wenger says he wants to give Alexis Sanchez a breather, but the injury problems at the club mean he can’t do that just yet.
Already tired before the international break, the Chilean played twice for his country and returns to England after a transatlantic journey there and back.
The Arsenal manager says he’s going to have to rest him at some stage, but right now he just can’t. He also touched on the former Barcelona man’s desire to play as often as possible, saying, “I am worried because before he went away with Chile he was a bit jaded. But if I ask him ‘are you tired?’ you can guess the answer.
“At some point I will give him a break. At the moment I am a bit short because there’s no Chamberlain, no Ramsey, no Walcott, no Wilshere, no Welbeck. There are not many offensive positions where I can rotate.”
The manager also confirmed that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should be fit for next weekend’s trip to Norwich while Aaron Ramsey could feature in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Speaking about the Ox, he said, “He had a slight little setback on Monday but we checked by scan and there is nothing wrong but he is still a fraction short for Saturday.
“Ramsey will be back in full training on Monday and can play on Tuesday and Chamberlain I think against Norwich.
“Theo is ahead of schedule at the moment but he is still two weeks away.”
He’s relentless, top man!
“slight setback”….sigh
I imagine Alexis sleeps while running on a treadmill. If anyone can find the energy to get through the next two weeks, he can.
Alexis doesn’t run on treadmills, treadmills run on him
Alexis doesn’t run on treadmills – treadmills stop for him and the world runs a little bit faster
Treadmills are scared of Alexis
Alexis on bad day is still better than the ineffective alternatives. Real Madrid never rest Ronaldo – up to the rest of the team to carry the slack while he finds his second wind..
Don’t worry Arsene, no one can
I don’t think even Alexis can rest Alexis
The Ox had a slight set back that needed a scan? ? that’s interesting!
Of course Wenger doesn’t have a choice but to keep playing Sanchez!
He should of thought of that whilst counting his money during the summer transfer window!
It’s a blessing that Sanchez runs on red hot chili peppers, you can recharge your phone in his back pocket!
Just ask Flamini ?
What nonsense, even when Ramsey, Walcott and Chamberlain were fit he didn’t rest Sanchez, he can’t start using that as an excuse.
Fucking hell I would even play Gibbs to get Alexis a rest
Mate I’d play Ospina I don’t even care
What about Joel on the left and unleashing the bellerin right wing? That would be a terrifying sight for west brom
Any option is better than Sanchez playing 90
Depends how you define ‘rest’
He doesn’t necessarily need to sit the whole game out but if we’re winning then take him off 60th minute a couple of times.
Or start Gibbs/Campbell and let them tire the defence out then unleash alexis final 30.
What’s concerning is even when we win comfortably he plays 90. Short of not wanting to piss him off I don’t know why that is
Although it’s often later in the game, he hasn’t played the full PL game 7 time this season so far.
As you say, we need to get this in the bag real early and get him off quick.
I can’t believe our energizer bunny is running out!!
I know not being able to rest Alexis for tomorrow is a small worry, but just to take a positive from Wenger’s press conference, what a relief it will be to have these key players returning in quick succession over the next two weeks. I doubt I’m alone in feeling that if Wenger were to announce Walcott was out until March, I wouldn’t have been a bit surprised. Thank goodness he’ll only be a couple more weeks. As for the others, how good will it be to see Bellerin back in action tomorrow?
I know not being able to rest Alexis for tomorrow is a small worry, but just to take a positive from Wenger’s press conference, what a relief it will be to have these key players returning in quick succession over the next two weeks. I doubt I was alone in fearing I’d hear news of Walcott not being available until around March. Thank goodness he’ll only be a couple more weeks. As for the others, how good will it be to see Bellerin back in action tomorrow?
Awkward, just realised you can’t delete your comments on here. But yes, I enjoy reading over, and editing my arseblognews comments on a Friday night.
Who am I talking to?
Ha, thanks for the laugh!
Photo caption:
‘Rest me this weekend…I dare you’
Title should have sub heading:
“He’d kill me”.
The statement “Ramsey will be back in full training on Monday and can play on Tuesday” really scares me. How can a player return from a long absence and have just one day of training and be ready to play the next day? I know he’s been working up to full training so it’s not as if he’s been dormant, but still I’d think he’d need at least a week of ramping up to game conditions before being thrown in.
To be fair, Wenger didn’t explicitly say he’d be starting on Tuesday (he probably will, though).
As an Indian and as an Arsenal fan, the words “ahead of schedule” sound like music to my ears.
If we’re up 2 goals at 70′ and he’s still in the lineup I’m going to lose my shit.
Even Messi takes no rest
He really need a rest at least, should we be up at half time then aledaide on or gibs then rest him for champions league.
I would have played him this weekend and then looked to rest him, regardless of the injury situation. West Brom, to my mind, is the tougher of the next few games. Play Alexis today, give him Tuesday off, put him on the bench against Norwich, would be my plan.
Rest? Where we’re playing I don’t need … rest.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Picture caption
It isn’t such a drama they have two three days off between games. Cyclists do 6 hours day after day and tennis players 5 hours day after day! So let’s not overdo the working too hard angle. The nice thing about Alexis is he doesn’t make a fuss.
Although I agree in principal of your comment, the TdF Cyclists are usually fucked for at least a month after the competition. Plus they only use their muscles in a very specific motion after a very thorough warm up whereas Footballers in general (and Alexis in particular) use every muscle in every way, which is a bit different. Tennis is closer but again, they have big gaps between the big competitions and they don’t have the opposition trying to hack their ankles(+) to smithereens.
I don’t disagree they are different sports but the energy is not the issue its the knocks. You didn’t hear Cavs response when asked by a journalist after failing to win Olympic gold ‘did he regret trying too hard in the TdF’? I think we can all agree that if a player is carrying an injury, rest should be mandatory if possible, but if he’s flying, keep flying. Also on preventing injuries, have you watched how international rugby training camps manage bruising daily training camps sessions. Cryobaths! Surprised we don’t have them at the Emirates, it’s only 3 minutes to… Read more »
Agreed. Carrying little knocks puts stresses into different areas of the body and can rarely be foreseen. Ref the Rugby boys, they’re a very different size, shape and skillset, and I’m not sure the cryobaths are too good for the joints/ligaments where footballers usually have issues. I doubt the medical/physio teams haven’t investigated their usefulness previously, but if they haven’t then they should.
One thing is sure, injuries should be the LAST excuse we give if we fail to win the league this season.
“Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is insanity”.
Playing Gibbs or moving santi to the left and playing arteta with coquilen would be a wise decision. I know moving santi out of the middle isnt Ideal but surely he can handle one game on the left cant he? Alexis needs the rest badly, he is running on fumes. not even him can play the amount of games he has played over the last two years with out getting tired. Fatigued players get injured. It is not worth it getting him injured over a game we could win with out him. Rest him please.
Arsene knows best…
Launch The Jeff!
Every time I see this headline, I read it as “I Can’t RESIST Alexis”, which is pretty much the same but a bit funnier and possibly even more true.