Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal’s latest injury crisis is a disappointment, however, he firmly believes the current situation provides the perfect opportunity for his fit players to prove their mettle.
After a disastrous November that saw them only pick up two points in the league, the Gunners have been further rocked by the news Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez have joined Francis Coquelin, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Danny Welbeck on the sidelines ahead of the busy festive schedule.
Laying down the gauntlet to the rest of his squad the boss insists Arsenal can maintain their title challenge so long as they continue to believe in themselves despite the difficult circumstances.
“Yes [I’m glad November is over] because in the last couple of weeks we lost Francis, Alexis and Santi – basically three players in two games,” the boss told Arsenal.com.
“That is of course too much, but hopefully we now have Theo not too far away, and Koscielny coming back too.
“I believe first of all it’s always a disappointment to lose the players at an important moment of the season. But on the other hand, it’s a great challenge to take for the team and a great opportunity to show that we are ready for a fight and we can deal with it. We prepared ourselves to go through periods like that, and I’m convinced the players are ready.
Reflecting on a torrid month, Wenger continued: “We have gone through a little bit of a bad spell in recent games, but we are two points off the top.
“The great opportunity for us is that, despite that bad spell, we are very close. That’s why it’s important that we keep our confidence high and our determination high, and start winning again. We want the crowd to be behind the team and help us to do it.”
Earlier, Wenger confirmed Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs will be available for Saturday’s game with Sunderland, while Theo Walcott could make a return to action having resumed full training following the calf injury picked up in October against Sheffield Wednesday.
We have a team that should be top – remember Chelsea and Mike Dean. And should be top by some way, remember West Brom and Norwich.
We till play three of the bottom four in our next 5 matches, plus City and Southampton, neither of which have been that great recently.
So I can’t be pessimistic if we can pick up points up to Christmas and then start getting players back. We usually rise to a challenge, let’s hope that continues.
You’ve forgotten Ramsey’s disallowed goal against Liverpoo…….
Liverpoop? Perhaps? Maybe? Yes?! Yes!!!
santi’s injury could have been the ideal chance for jack to get back on track. What the Fuck is happening with his recovery , the silence is deafening
Myth of Jack Wilshere grows big and big. I didn’t know not playing for 3-4 years makes you better! Should have sold him to Man City and bought noisier fans for the emirates.
if you’re the positive type it represents a chance to pick up points, if you’re the negative types, it’s a chance to drop more points.
*will play
I don’t want to be overly negative but the players we now have left are mostly injury prone themselves (Ramsey, The Ox, eventually Walcott) and I don’t believe they will be able to stay fit long enough to prove themselves. Walcott proved himself a capable striker at the beginning of the season but further solidified his unreliability in the long term as he succumbed to a soft injury.
People suggesting “the Ox” has any role whatsoever to play for Arsenal Football club. This is what you call trolling, no?
The crap people are spouting about Ox this year reminds me of what people were saying about Ramsey in 2012.
Ramsey in 2012
Monreal in 2013
Mesut in 2014
Bellerin in 2014
Coquelin at the beginning of 2015
So on and so forth, our short-sighted fans have always been short sighted and written off players with knee jerk comments. They’ll claim that they were right about one or two others, but that’s their scatter gun argument. Throw enough shit at a wall…
Haha there has been alot of shit though
Almunia
Santos
Denilson
Bendtner
Just a taster for you, one from each area of the pitch. Could go on. The great thing is also thinking about how much we paid this shit alone in wages.
no 🙂
We’re still gonna win the league!!
Fuck yes, Dan! Fuck yes!!!
Fuck yes Coq wine! Fuck yes!!!
Lets just have the good old winning -time back, please
With the return of Walcott and Ramsey, we’re not that depleted in attackers. The midfield is the problem. The Ox, Chambers and Flamini have the key to our success. Now, how do we compensate for goals we get from Alexis ? As a staunch believer in Ramsey’s ability, I recently started losing hope in him, I mean his ability to score. The team has to play a system that allows Walcott to score.
Walcott back is huge. The team has looked slow and without options in the final third in recent PL games. Walcott gives the chance to play counter attack away from home, something that has been missing in the last games. Giroud is good but the team looks a LOT better with walcott as 9, just look at the games against United and Bayern at home.
We need to re-adjust quickly to an entirely new set up. Likely it will be Ramsey-Flamini in partnership. Also we will be reliant on Ox and Campbell to step up. It will be a pacier game built on the wings which may not necessarily be a bad thing. A plus would be if we get Walcott back soon to add variety at CF but also add another option from out wide. The concern would be Chambers as back up for Flamini. That will be really thin as this is a new position for Chambers and he needs to gain confidence… Read more »
Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Campbell, Ozil, Ox, Giroud is our probable line up for the sunderland game. Subs will probably be Ospina, Koscielny (if he is ready), Gibbs, Debuchy, Chambers, Riene- adelaide, Theo (if he is ready also) or Iwobi. It is gonna be a tough couple of weeks to come. With the Olympiacos game comimg up Theo and Boss must be benched. I hope adelaide dazzles if and when he is given a chance. We need a midfielder in january badly. Someone who can play both the sitting and box to box roles. If we can… Read more »
Three years ago this month, AW made a commitment to a group of young British players that were supposed to be the core that the team would build around going forward. The subsequent contributions from that group have been very disappointing, with lots of time out injured and generally disappointing performances when they do play. Outside of 3 great months from Ramsey and a few encouraging spells from Walcott, the returns haven’t been great. Ramsey and Chamberlain are going to get the opportunity to take on major roles now in their ‘preferred’ positions, and Walcott and Wilshere should also be… Read more »
I was recently thinking that all of the British players were out of the side, most from injury, but it does reflect poorly on our British core. I have given up on Wilshere, but more than ever we need him and Welbeck back in the side, and Ramsey to rediscover his best form. Here is to hoping that walcott and the ox can be become this season’s bellerin and coquelin.
How about moving Bellerin to Midfield und Debuchy at RB. Koscielny should Start on the bench to recuperate longer as Gabriel is an able replacements. Our guys get injured too offen maybe coz they are back too soon from injuries.
Do you want to turn Bellerin into another Eboue??
I like ze spirit. COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
“We prepared ourselves to go through periods like that, and I’m convinced the players are ready.”
I can’t completely agree with that.
We all know we are stuck in a time loop with Wenger, it will be fourth place again this year and maybe a Cup challenge. Yawn.
Until the players come back, we need to find that spirit we had when we were like 15 points behind the scum down the road and Bale was banging them in, we didn’t play negative Stoke-style, didn’t park the bus like Chelsea but we’re pragmatic. Sometimes in our own half, sometimes in the other, grinding out results. We didn’t have Ozil then and Bale made sure we got him. That was glorious.
That’s the only way if we want to get through the festive period. COYG!
Anyone else think romulo from spartak would fit nicely. Haven’t seen much of him but football manager says he’s the dogs bollocks
I can’t tell if this is intentionally funny or not.
Unfortunately Mr Wenger is deluded!! Unfortunately I wouldn’t be surprised if we drop points against Sunderland!!!
Yet even more injuries on the way I’m afraid. And more dropped points over Xmas.
If Chambers plays in DM role we have sufficient cover. Plus we can use Theo out wide if we need to. He’s no Alexis but still a major threat. Also there’s Ox. situations bad, but its not that bad.
Chambers was signed to Southampton on basis that he was a great schoolboy centre midfielder and only converted to defender aged 16. So he is not inexperienced and has potential in that position.
Theo to score alexis share of goals. From out wide with Giroud at cf.