Arsene Wenger has defended his decision to play Alexis Sanchez against Norwich today after the forward picked up a hamstring strain that will surely put him out of action for a while.
The former Barcelona man pulled up in the 60th minute chasing a ball into the Norwich box and was replaced by Joel Campbell. It felt somewhat inevitable due to how much he’s been playing, but the Arsenal manager insisted that medical tests and the player’s own testimony meant his selection wasn’t a gamble.
“I would rested him today but before the game he declared he was perfectly all right,” said the manager.
“The players are there to play football and not to be rested when the press decides they need to be rested. Despite all our test he looked alright.
“We checked him and when you have no force and no middle stretch in your hamstring then there is no problem and he had that.
“You have plenty of players across Europe who play every single game and at the moment we are short as Walcott is not there, Welbeck is not there, Oxlade-Chamberlain is just coming back.”
There was more bad news on top of the injuries to Alexis and Koscielny as it was revealed the knee problem picked up by Santi Cazorla might well see him join in the ever-growing injury list.
“In the first half he got a kick on the knee and it got worse,” said Wenger.
“I don’t know if he has damaged his knee ligament or he it was just a kick on the nerve but the worrying thing was it got worse during the game. For Koscielny it was a kick on his hip and he could not move at all.
“We have to assess all of that.”
Arseblog News suggests having a stiff drink, before assuming the crash position. Fingers crossed.
Sanchez was always going to get injured. Wenger should have rested him for this game.
I agree, I really do.
This thumbs up/down system is for cowardly children.
Cowards? Children? You went full retard mate.
might be a blessing in disguise for Alexis and Arsenal. he can’t play forever. after a three week rest who knows? he is a freak. our freak. Chamberlain will be this seasons breakthrough in the cazorla role. or not. either way, have a drink and marvel at the fact in Gabriel we actually have a decent back up option.
Come the end of this season Sanches will have played in excess of 30 PL games he will also have played 10 or more cup games and 6-8 internationals. So i am not sure what this caterwalling is about – Wenger played him because so many senior players were missing – ok now he has a hamstring injury that will keep him out for a few weeks. Now we could have rested him for a couple of weeks in an injury crisis or hope to get through the worst of that crisis and then rest him. so its 6 of… Read more »
At least,we can blame the collapse on injuries….as usual.
Here’s hoping we won’t need to do so. Novembers, they really screw us don’t they?
Could be a make or break January.
Can’t make it in Jan-only break it
Yep, because everyone is too scared to blame Wenger, whose actual fault it is for his outdated training methods and refusal to properly strengthen the squad
How long have you been at the training ground with the team?
Which other club in the Premier league or any top division has an injury crisis EVERY season? No one, only us.
Who were the only club not to buy an outfield player in the transfer window? Only us.
Please stop defending the indefensible.
An almost entire starting eleven out with injury is normally a good excuse for not winning titles.
No way could he rest Alexis today – in a title race you want your best players playing every match – you secure the result first, and then sub them off with (ideally 10- 15 minutes remaining. But we were drawing the match and needed the win so he couldn’t take Alexis off, because that would of been a stupid idea too, you don’t take off one of your best players in a game like tonight, unless he was having an absolute shocker (which he wasn’t) or he picked up a knock/injury (which inevitably happened). But the reason why Alexis… Read more »
You’re gonna blame Chile for something we regularly do?
@Stillmatic – I am not placing all the blame on them at all as I clearly stated in my comment. ‘Its because those chumps over in Chile playing him all the time when he was already complaining about feeling pain in his legs. Also combined with Arsene’s lack of investment in the squad over the summer meaning we have had no option but to play him.’ But it 100% would of contributed to him being fucked now. As I stated – Arsene is also to blame equally. He should of gone out in the summer and got the players we… Read more »
The levels of delusionism of some arsenal fans is maddening
Please explain to me Daft Aider, you cunt, how I am being deluded.. please.. go on.
Leave out the name calling please
Burn out and injury was always a risk to Alexis, more minutes than anyone else in the league on top of the South American travel. A rest would have been a good thing and the team needs to be able to beat Norwich without him. Analytics and prognosis should only be part of the decision making process, a manager should apply judgement too and I think the gut instinct and judgement of a lot of fans said Sanchez needed a rest.
I’m pretty certain Santi and Ozil have played more minutes than Alexis in the PL this season.
If the player and the medics said he was fit to play then why rest him? Their job is to play football.
Seriously, we need to call in the CSI crew to investigate why we keep getting this horrendous number of injuries. Its not bad luck. We are consistently ahead of everyone in the injury list. I think the argument that we should have signed this player or that is moot because our problem is injuries not lack of quality
He did say it was a ‘kick’. So I’m pretty certain CSI would put the blame on the opposition (or the PMGO twat).
Exactly, so you could bitch about him being rested after a poor result. Have you considered a career as a physio? You could make a decent living forseeing injuries.
I don’t want to sound uncouth or like I do not care, but I think with Campbell performing, injuries to Alexis and Cazorla mean Ramsey can be moved back centrally, with The Ox and Campbell on the wings. I know he is a left back, but Gibbs kind of offers cover for the left wing. Hell, the last time he played there he scored. We have not watched our reserve team play with the seniors for a while but I think its time we brought those promising youngsters and trow them into the deep end as well. We don’t have… Read more »
Off topic, but related to yesterday’s game. What’s with Bennett pushing Sanchez into the TV camera pit and ref did nothing about it? It’s blatant what he was trying to do to Sanchez who was in the air with no chance of stopping. (It’s the same kind of push that got Debuchy injured months ago.) Who’s to say Sanchez landing in the pit didn’t somehow aggravate his hamstring later in the game? Are players allowed to cause injury like that to other players in the name of the game? Bennett was on Twitter, adamant that he didn’t push Sanchez but… Read more »
Can’t wait for the day (3 weeks from now) where Wenger had to pick people from the stands to fill his bench. I’ll be ready.
*has
Where do you think he got Almunia from? He caught a t-shirt from Gunnersaurus’ cannon and Wenger thought he could do a job in nets
Well, fuck. Just as some players start to come back from injuries others get injured, happens every time. It’s as if we’re not allowed to have more than 14/15 players fit at a time.
Hard to be optimistic about this season now, we’re only 2 points off the top because everyone else is doing shite as well. Our points per game ratio is not a title winning one, over 38 games the current ratio would only get us 70 points..
But is anyone else’s title winning?
The following question has not been given a qualified answer for the past 9 seasons…..Why does Arsenal succumb to so many injuries? It’s never too late to find the answer.
ARSENE WENGER’S PRE-SEASON CHECKLIST 1. Fail to buy the required quality players in key positions before the season starts, leaving the squad at least two players short of a title-winning one: Check. 2. Start season well and get stupid fans to believe that we are in a title race: Check. 3. Run key players into the ground by over-training and over-playing them; causing various muscle injuries: Check. 4. Have at least one long-term injured player who’ll be “Like a new signing when he’s back.”: Check. 5. Start off rubbish in the champions’ league group stages: Check. 6. But finish well,… Read more »
And dumbfucks like you are the exact reason I left said forum. ‘Fat’ c**t.
Nice reasoned reply. With replies like that I should think most are sorry that you are back on the forum.
Argue against him if you disagree don’t call him names like a child.
Congratulations though, the first time Fatgooner hasn’t been heavily downvoted and his post hidden but a reply has been.
There’s many a true word spoken in jest. And many a point raised right there.
Point 12 should be :- ‘Make sure Stan is happy with the cash pile and the share price’.
And if you fancy a Baker’s Dozen for point 13 : ‘Have a word with Gazedis to make sure he cites the right Club for his next press conference with the ‘Arsenal are in fact the new….’ (fill in space as suits your taste).
You actually took time to read all that shite?
Absolutely ! Seems pretty much on the money to me.
And if it’s wrong, feel free to state why. As opposed to the others, who simply respond with infantile insults and cretinous abuse. ‘Lose your temper and you’ve lost the argument’ as the saying goes. Fat Gooner might well be wrong on some of his points, in this instance and elsewhere but he doesn’t stoop to delinquent obscenity. And he deserves full credit for that.
There’s nothing on the money about it at all. Slimebags like you and Fatso ooze out of the cracks with same sheight, at the same convenient time(s). You think the rest of us couldn’t make these mindnumbingly boring points? We could. I mean Kroenke again? Seriously? Shoot me now. We do sit through it all too you know and as much as things seem to be tailspinning right now, there’s a hell of lot worse positions to be in. So, yeah, no, being a noxious bore-off who easily baits the hook-hungry likes of me deserves no credit whatsoever. Seriously, just… Read more »
@AnthonyG when you change your diaper you’re not supposed to leave the contents on this forum. Every ones entitled to an opinion, without vulgar abuse.
Some follow a Football Club. Some follow a personalised ‘Cult’ and their hysterical reaction to any criticism of that cult or it’s leader, gives them away time and again.
Sad! But true.
IMO. I think 1 point is a good result away from home.We would have collapsed if we had lost.cech saved our asses.
Still hasn’t given made a legit to prove FG points are false.
Hey Rob67, iceberg10. Maybe take a re-read of FG’s post. Maybe he doesn’t use harsh language, but he certainly insults the entire Arsenal fanbase on a couple occasions. He’s just a Troll, trying to stir shit every chance he can. He’s not a supporter. Anyone who’s read his posts over the years knows what he is. I personally hold his opinion about as high as the integrity and class of John Terry & Mourinho. Just because he doesn’t swear doesn’t mean his posts aren’t offensive in their own right.
How do you even know this crap about Stan, this is like stuff you’re just making up in your head as if Arsenal’s business is some kind of crappy sitcom, seriously bro.
Oh and I bet when we won the FA cup in the last few years you was sitting there with your arms crossed looking miserable and thinking “this isn’t good enough”: Check
You’re the kind of asshole I cannot stand sitting next to at games.
And this whole moaning about not buying any outfield players is absolute bollocks. Look at how many players we had at the start of the season? We’re 2 points off the top, get a fucking grip and start moaning when we are 10 points off the top and have totally capitulated.
If only I could thumbs up your comment a thousand times, Nicholas Gooner…
That’ll be only 3-4 weeks away mate
just think what would happen if we were in ChelSKI’s position!
12. Be a cunt and make a check list.
13: Eat words when we win title with three games to spare
with Theo, OX and then Danny and Jack and Alexis and Kos and Santi and Coq back, we’ll crush them all over Xmas-new year and Feb … not like last year …. watch this space
14: repeat over and over: supporting a team sometimes requires blind optimism and faith.
Believe Fatgooner.
No matter how relevant any of your points are mate, I just can’t get on board. You only comment on here when we lose.
Give credit where and when credit is due and maybe the criticism will be taken a bit more seriously.
Agree completely Daryl C. Would take Fatgooner more seriously if he didnt disappear for months when things are going well only to reappear within minutes of a bad result to say how shit everything is.
Fatgooner is Piers Morgan in disguise!!!
Everything is shite!
haha, I read all of Fatgooners comments in the angriest man on twitter’s voice from the Arsecast
Fat Gooner, you have a slim majority. Congratulations on the irony Sir.
Calm down, we’re 2 points off the top of the table, not the bottom
Um, a lot of those checks haven’t happened yet. I’m not sure we’ll actually beat Olympiakos by the required margin.
Otherwise known as the “Arsenal Cycle”.
He does all that with deliberation every year? God how foolish the board, the players and everyone else must be to not see that. If only they and we were as clever as you.
As an aside, just imagine, considering his team’s current form, what Mourinho’s agenda must be every year.
Mindboggling!
Stay tuned for more insight revelations from your one and only Fatgooner!
I don’t like you fat gooner because your posts are always negative and cause such a beef on the comments section.
Chicken Little was right! No, really.
Next time check again, will you? Please? Because this story about him being on the verge of injury has been going around for some time now… We should be top of the league by a comfortable 5 points at least. And these were supposed to be “easy” games where we make the difference that ultimately wins us the title. Instead, I think we are out of it very early, again. 2 points behind is only because the other top teams are crappy at the moment but I suspect that’s going to change very soon. And you, my friend, have key… Read more »
I guess I was too quick and my comment was scattered to aethernet.
Anyway, as someone labelled for years at a certain forum as the/a ringleader of the self-styled ‘Wengerites’, I must diverge from my calling and disagree with Mr Wenger here. Alexis needed (and has needed) a spell and it really doesn’t matter what he (Alexis) had to say on the matter. (Nor the, admittedly obnoxious, press). Ah, well, for better or for worse, it’s done now. Onward.
Let’s say those three are out for the next couple of games. Starting 11 would have to be.. Cech Bellerin Mertesacker Gabriel Monreal Flamini Ramsey Ozil Campbell Ox Giroud Which on the face of it doesn’t look like the worst team on the planet, but you’ve got a couple of players just returning from injury, a couple more struggling with form, and a couple more who probably are out of their depth. With no offensive substitute options, and of course given that it’s Arsenal, the possibility of fresh injuries most likely to the handful of in-form players of whom too… Read more »
Only if they have the inside of a balloon for a head.
Some good points made there. I still think that Wenger should give The Jeff some minutes. We have Chambers who can play DM. Walcott isn’t that far away from a return either. The Ox will get some games, which is what he needs.
As subs to the above team we have:
Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Chambers, The Jeff
We are looking short on attacking options from the bench.
Oh boy, we’re in trouble. I think we are terribly unlucky with injuries but at the same time, we put too much faith in a number of players who seem to spend more time off the pitch than on it. Every season Wilshere, Ramsey, Ox and Theo spend at least a decent amount of time in the sheds. Add to that Gibbs, Koscielny gets a knock here and there, our aging players in Arteta, Rosicky and Flamini, and our new medical room recruit Welbeck and it starts to become pretty apparent why we have a threadbare squad at some point… Read more »
Agree completely. I think we are at a stage where it would be foolish to consider walcott and wilshire as first team options. Wenger should plan his team and their backup without even factoring these two players into the equation (possibly even adding rosicky and arteta to that list, but I assume they will be off in the summer). If they are fit then great, but as history has shown us they cannot be relied upon as first team options. Either sell them or plan for the season without them, because anything else and we’ll just end up two players… Read more »
How can that be ‘fact not an opinion’ when you are referring to what is going to happen in the future?
I’d consider it to be a fact that walcott and wilshire are injury prone. I guess if we are going to be pedantic then it is my opinion that, given their record, they will likely be injured every season. Satisfied?
I blame the God-awful kit! Have we had any good luck in it at all?!!?
Will take a miracle now to sustain a title challenge. I don’t see us beating Olympiakos with an understrength side.
The season that was appearing to be an exciting one is fast turning into a nightmare. Sigh!
Giroud plays better when he has some sort of competition. Watch him shit all over us now.
After the game on Tuesday Arsene said he took Ollie off early because he had an ankle knock from the Saturday before. If Arsene is prepared to play an injured Alexis he’ll certainly play an injured Ollie because he’s the only striker we have. Theo is always injured and only plays well when he has a new contract to be signed, for all his supposed improvement he’s scored less goals than Ollie so I think your comments are uncalled for and aimed at the wrong person. If our defense tried the sort of wrestling, fouling, and kicking in the kidneys… Read more »
Same story every season, yeah we’ve been incredibly unlucky with injuries (again) but I just don’t think Wenger strengthens enough in the transfer market. Ok so don’t buy for the sake of it but ffs we need like for like quality player’s to come in when we have player’s out!
It not only gives cover but breeds competition for places instead of these player’s knowing there starters even after a bad run of games…imo of course…
At least Alexis (and Cazorla) will get a rest now!! This will hopefully leave them fresher whenever they do get back into the team and with more energy come the run-in! This is the most inconsistent league season for years, so with other teams dropping points too, the top places could be decided in April/May. So its better that our key players get some rest now … although I accept it would be better for the rest absences to be planned on a game to game basis rather than being enforced injuries! But, ever the optimist, come the end of… Read more »
Watch it again, it’s how Alexis landed after the follow-through that caught his leg as he tried to hurdle the challenge that caused his hamstring to tighten…I’m sure he’ll be back doing shuttle runs tomorrow!! Personally I’m still annoyed with Ref’s reaction to Alexis being deliberately pushed into that camera pit!
I don’t blame it on Henry, I don’t blame on the injuries, I don’t blame it on the referees, I blame it on Arseblog.
Looking forward to that unknown January loan player we’ll get.
“The players are there to play football and not to be rested when the press decides they need to be rested. Despite all our test he looked alright.”
The arrogance of the man. almost as toxic as “The Mata deal is dead and I don’t have to explain anything to anyone.”
So the free 12 points, from the 4 easy games before Man City, aren’t that easy after all. All hail Emperor Winger.
When are points ever fucking easy? Ask City, Chelsea, Spurs any fucking team!
“Sanchez had a little hamstring alarm but we will see how he recovers from that” Wenger last week. I guess I’m the only one in the whole world that read that, right?
and our medics tested him and it showed no sign of a problem, the player also said he had no problem
maybe you could be the only one in the whole world to read that right too.
“Obviously if you ask Alexis Sanchez if he is OK, he is going to say yes. If a guy says no then he might as well leave the club. You are there to play.
“But I think you almost don’t have to ask him anything if you want to rest him. You need to go out and say nothing or, ‘I’m resting you today and that’s the way it is’.
That’s Thierry ‘The Legend’ Henry speaking after the match. I’ll go with him and leave you to your opinion.
Well our medics were obviously wrong, as the man who has a little bit of a hamstring injury last week now has a full hamstring strain.
As for medics? Considering we’ve been at the top of the physio-room list for the best part of a decade, I wouldn’t be championing them just yet. Besides, I suspect it’s not the medics fault. Even if they said to him he has a hamstring strain, Wenger would still find a justification to play him for 90-mins.
He had a slight problem last week. That’s fact. Many have been saying he needed a rest even Arsene himself.
He should have been rested yesterday simple as that. It’s not hindsight it’s common sense and now we could lose him for weeks or months. Senseless. Don’t give a fuck if the player said he felt fine. The manager should have the sense to do what many have been telling him and followed his own advice and rested the bloke. He’s the manager he picks the team the buck stops with him.
It’s easy to blame Wenger for Alexis’ injury, but when the player says he fine and much more importantly, your medical and training staff say he’s fine to play – why is everyone not yelling to have the medical staff replaced? They are the experts whose advice Wenger relies on. Yes, it’s his final decision, but all good managers must rely on advice from their expert staff.
spot on, if the player, and the medics say he is fit, then why should he not play, also lets not forget, no matter what the keyboard fitness experts like to tell us, alexis was man of the match in midweek, where he showed no sign of being unfit, the opposite in fact.
Alexis also said when he came off today, that it was a kick to his hamstring, not a pull or tear, or anything stress related. Maybe he is a liar and all the whingers know better than the player as to what actually happened him
I obviously don’t know either way, but if the player’s own manager – who knows him better than any of us – says he doubts what Alexis said there’s no point insulting fellow supporters.
Yes, for once we do have strength in depth BUT it means absolutely nothing when our consistent injury crisis decimates that depth.
There cannot be any reason whatsoever to not break the bank and buy in January. Even a blind one-legged hedgehog can see we must buy in January.
Please no more utter bollocks that no-one is out there that could strengthen our squad. When you’re thinking of playing the likes of Chambers in midfield, there MUST be a better option out there!
Thumbs up for the hedgehog reference alone.
Would the hedgehog get a run out??
Arsene would like us to read between the lines, to understand that some things are just not right and that, stubborn as he has always been, he remains true to his principles when he mentions that “You have plenty of players across Europe who play every single game…” One day, we will hear that the reason why so many Arsenal players got injured over the years while other players in other teams would play 60 full games a season with not even an inch of a bruise was down to Arsene not giving in to doping. Form is temporary, Class… Read more »
I don’t think Wenger was referring to players doping, when he said there are players all over europe who play every single game. I would say he is just stating a fact, we have players who play for us every week, such as Monreal, Ozil, Mertesacker, Cazorla. Of our players out injured at the moment, Coquelin, Rosicky, Welbeck, Wilshere, Cazorla, Koscielny and Alexis(according to the player himself), are all out with impact injuries, that is 7 out of 10, so maybe the reason for our injury crisis lies more with refs allowing free reign for opponents to be over physical,… Read more »
How are refs the fault for Jack’s injury?
And Rosicky, Welbeck are not impact injuries either, and Alexis is yet to be confirmed (But I have NEVER heard of a hamstring strain caused by a kick to a hamstring. And I was a sports scientist for a PL club).
And you also (intentionally?) failed to mention Ox, Ramsey and Theo, all three non-impact injuries.
But feel free to peddle your agenda.
Er, wasn’t Welbeck’s from contact in the Chelsea match? Regardless, a knee ligament or cartilage injury isn’t a strain from overuse or training. Of the 9 – yes 9 even with 2 just returned- we currently have out only 3 would be considered overuse or muscle strains with Arteta and Walcott out with calf strains, and now Alexis with a hamstring. Yes, Ramsey and Ox are just returning from those, but they’ve both recently been prone to them without warning. perhaps a few others may not be technically considered ‘impact’, but they’re freak nonetheless, and by all rights it’s quite… Read more »
#ForçaAlexis
JEFF TO THE RESCUE.
isn’t Walcott due back this coming week.
Wenger needs to take fucking responsibility and just rest the lovable near immortal fucker…Even if he says he iss fit…You can see and have seen/commented on the fact he was in the red (before spuds) and you wanted to rest him…You let him play he got injured..Your the fucking manager.
Everyone on this site knew Alexis would get injured…But no one here earns 8mil a year to figure that out
Jaysus, we have been shite in November. Luckily, so has everyone else. We are still in with a shout of stumbling over the line in May. Sprint, jog, stumble, crawl, who gives a bollix as long as we’re first?
Got to feel for Wenger though – play Ox and if he is reinjured we rushed him back. Play Campbell and if we dont’t win media questions why the previous two were rested. Alexis certainly needed a rest but then Cazorla, Giroud and Özil have also played a lot recently. Overall it is no coincidence we constantly have 5-10 players injured but we dont have thr information to blame Wenger for not resting anyone.
Pretty soon we’ll be totally jeffed.
I’d just say one thing:
Fuck, fuck, fuck and fuck!
Boss: ” Al you lost your leg?!”
AL: “Don’t worry boss it will grow back at half time”
Boss: “But you’re bleeding badly!!”
AL:” Alexis no need blood, Alexis needs football!”
It’s that damn ugly shirt!
Ritchie Powling never got injured….
Wow – the negativity is just amazing…… check out some puppy’s or something.
Some plus points to put things in perspective….
Augero – out injured again, United are pants and dull, Chelsea ha ha ha ha, Spuds fail to convince, and all the comments about our flattering title challenge – look around you? is anyone else convincing or walking away with it?
Not a great result by any means – but not the end of the world either.
Which is why we need to fucking capitalize moron….Oh hes not going to work today so maybe i shouldn’t…shut up
Maybe you shouldn’t go to work today?
You can fuck off too you nosy cunt
this is what’s wrong with arsenal. we don’t have to be great because the rest of the league is also shit. in fact, it’s ok to be worse than the rest of our shit rivals. wenger loves you btw.
2 points behind not 12 guys. There a long way to go yet. COYG! 🙂
My comment after years of reading comments is, some people sure do freak out both easily and hyperbolically.
Gunners forever.
What is most worrisome is that we are hitting that time of the year when the weather is always cold and damp, the fields can be in bad shape at some grounds and the number of matches in a short time. We are so short now the healthy players are going to have to play every match even those with small strains or just coming back from absences. It is likely we will suffer another couple of injuries during this stretch until Welbeck, Wilshere, Walcott, etc. can come back. Players are starting to show some signs of fatigue already too… Read more »
Where the fuck is welbeck. We can injure even the Hulk.Maybe should buy already injured ones just to confuse the gods.
Wenger will definitely now reshuffle the players & try to get the best from them. Ramsey & Ox back, Flamini doing a decent job, Campbell potential. We still have Özil!! If he goes injured same time as Sanchez….we will be in deep deep shit.
For the moment, its still possible to start winning again.
My concern is upfront…CF…our Giroud. My honest and most lenient opinion….he is just not that good enough for Arsenal
Bye bye title chances as you disappear into the distance, we had a glimpse!!!
We should heve kept Diaby. Now rest of the team need to make up layoff numbers.
Europa league and 4th it is then.
Folks let’s be patient and not lose hope. Calling one another ‘cunt’ wouldn’t help.
Yeah lets keep it civilised No name calling please. Frankly if Wenger did not play Alexis and we lost the game dropped another 2 points, he would be castigated for doing so and rotating at the wrong time. With regards squad depth, we have plenty of it. If you look at some of the other teams (like City) they have their struggles with injuries too. Aguero is out again and Bony has just returned. There is no substantial CF back up beyond them. We do carry plenty of injury prone players (which oddly enough tend toward being British) which is… Read more »