Arsene Wenger says that Alexis Sanchez came through yesterday’s 2-1 win over Burnley well, despite the fact there were some lingering worries about the Chilean’s hamstring after a lengthy period on the sidelines.
The Arsenal manager also said the form of Burnley gave him pause for thought with his team selection, as he pondered over introducing a debutant, Mohamed Elneny, and two players returning from injury, in Alexis and Francis Coquelin.
When I saw Derby against Burnley, I had a little hesitation to pick the three,” he said. “But the fact that we played at home, I thought we could manage to get away with it.
“With Alexis, I was not too much worried about on the fitness front because I kept him out two weeks ago and he was already there physically. We had some worries about his muscle but today he came through well and you could see that physically, he is ready.”
“He had a long rest now. When he got injured, you could see signs of fatigue. I think two months’ rest is a good winter break!”
However, the good news as ever is tempered by some bad. There are reports this morning that Tomas Rosicky picked up a thigh injury yesterday, and could miss anything up to 6 weeks, while Jack Wilshere’s return, already pushed out to mid-March, could be delayed even further as he’s suffered a reaction to resuming full training.
That might mean another season without football for the 23 year old, a hammer blow for him personally, and a big miss for Arsenal who will have to reassess how they view him in this squad. And if it’s 6 weeks for Rosicky, that’s practically a season ender too.
We’ll wait for official confirmation, but we trust this source here at Arseblog News. Any better updates than this can be considered a bonus.
Fuck
6 weeks or 6 months you mean for our lil Mozart…… bummer! He’s too much of a fairy-tale footballer, a mirage at best and one of my favorite Arsenal player! stop making me miss you lil Mozart!
as much as we all love tomas,surely this is the end of the road. He plays 20 mins and he,s fucked AGAIN.
we can do still do without Wilshere but Rosicky? Don’t know
I hear u . That is if what u meant is Jack has time to show himself off to us fans, while our chances of enjoying the musical genius of our classic no7 Mozart is running out.
I hope Rosicky’s career isn’t ended the is way. He deserves so much better. Hopefully it’s a false alarm.
Pity as Rosicky’s return was one of the real highlights yesterday.
I have nothing to say.
Squad limitation rules make carrying injury prone players very difficult to justify. I think, as much as i love Rosicky (and his thunderbastards v spurs), would it would be better management to have a player of 25% less quality available for 75% more time? I would refer to this as the Diaby Axis. Sometimes the wait is worth it, but essentially, a player needs to be worth the wait to justify being carried through the absences. Where this leaves young Jack, I don’t know. Hopefully back in time to claim goal of the season for the third year running at… Read more »
Guessing you’re very hungover or possibly still drunk? What you’ve just said is gobbledygook.
It makes perfect sense.
Maybe it’s just you being hungover or possibly still drunk?
Go home Mourinho…..you can’t buy class…haven’t you heard???
you absolute div
Either Jack is part of an after work fight club or is suffering from some form of brittle bone disease because this makes no sense.
He, Tomas and Diaby’s cases need to be investigated properly by some kind of Nobel medical team. Not just for our sakes but for everyone. I wouldn’t wish this kind of continuous physical breakdown on my worst enemy, ok, maybe Diego Costa but he’s a cunt!
Guess you missed the first rule huh?
So sad for both of them. I have been struggling with a bad back, one game then out for weeks. Even at my level it is devastating, but for people with such exciting and top top quality ability is must be so difficult. We seem to have very good sports psychologists at least. Wish you both better lads.
I think we have to really consider Ox as the successor to Cazorla’s role next to Coq as opposed to Wilshire.
He’s the only other player in the squad with the dribbling skills required and I’ve been surprisingly more impressed with him in the middle as opposed to out on the wing.
The best we can hope for with Jack is that he ‘grows out’ of all these injuriy woes as Kieran Gibbs seems to have done who’s early years were blighted horrendously by injuries.
I rate Ox very highly. i think he has the highest ceiling of any of our under 25s. But even more than his technique, it’s Santi’s experience that’s allowed him to succeed at CM. Let’s remember that Santi was awful away from home when he first played there. Honestly Wenger must have sleepless worrying about how to replace Santi because very few players (who aren’t Brazilian or Spanish) outside of the top 5 teams in Europe can match his technical level.
*sleepless nights
Phillipe Coutinho.
I don’t rate Ox highly…
Joel Campbell.
And as Gibbs has pointed out he overcame his injury crisis through a very strict diet regime, yoga, and a healthy lifestyle overall. Which means it can happen. I’m not implying Jack doesn’t look after his body but it’s a fair few times now he’s caught out partying, smoking and what have you.
Sorry but we have to look elsewhere for Santi’s replacement as the Ox has really struggled to step up to the right level. He is still worth keeping in the squad and may still come good, but is not currently good enough to anchor the midfield.
Also think that with zelalem on loan and gathering experience and hopefully growing into his own, he will certainly help marshall the midfield in years to come. Not necessarily a defensive mid but certainly someone to transition from defense to offence and with an eye for the pass – he definitely has the potential.
Elneny was bought to replace/rotate with Cazorla and play the DM in a more offensive lineup.
This cannot be real. What the fuck?
Sadly, my wizardy friend, football is one of the most intense sports. Phases of extreme intensity that are just too much for many people’s bodies. If anything, we should be surprised that this is not more common. Sports science has come a long way, and the premiere league requires the most resilient of ligaments, tendons, joints, muscles.
Players should be training less. After the one day rest the tend to get, they are thrown straight back into full training the next day. As anyone over 25 years old will know, the second day is when your body is at its lowest. And it is the most likely time for you to suffer further injury. One more day’s rest would make a huge difference. It is crazy to me. It is the difference between turning slightly torn muscles into ripped stronger muscle, and risk of making those tears larger causing long term damage. People say that players don’t… Read more »
I’m pretty sure the day after a game is either a complete rest day or else a complete warm down/stretch and conditioning day.
Yes it is, but it is the next day (2nd day after a match) where the body is at its most vulnerable. And by the way, I was talking generally, not specifically about jack and tomas’s injuries.
Research last (forgot the name, but can get it if anyone is seriously interested) showed that player availability was almost 50% responsible for a team’s success.
We need to remember that.
Yep, I’m pretty sure Wenger knows best.
Great contribution to the discussion.. As a professional physiotherapist, and sports injury specialist, I was merely pointing out that football training in general is, in my opinion, too intensive during the 48 hours after a match. Recovery times do vary from player to player, but playing a match every 3 days with at least one intense training session in between is just too much. The athletes are at the absolute limit almost constantly. I was not bashing Wenger, I am talking about football as a whole from grass roots to the pinnacle. Old fashioned mentality to training and the limitations… Read more »
Don’t you think that, by any chance, the professional club also happens to employ a professional physiotherapist and a sports injury specialist, or two? But hey, maybe you know better. Oh, but by the way, do you know they have ‘at least one intense training in between matches 3 days apart’, or it is just will and unsubstantiated guess?
Of course they have specialists employed. Arsenal has a top medical facility with some of the best sports physios in the business. It is standard practice for teams worldwide to train intensively before a match. And my main point is that 48 hours after a match should be light training at an absolute maximum, if you want to be able to perform for an entire season. Today’s football training philosophies are still fairly outdated considering the investment and infrastructure. I’m not saying I know better, as I don’t treat the arsenal squad, but seeing the people I do treat, their… Read more »
Thanks for your assessment Bergkamp’s elbows – any insight into possible causes of our never-ending injury updates are appreciated.
Can’t win football games with players being injured endlessly. Diaby was one of them, Wilshere too. Do a Vermaelen by getting him pseudo fit and sell him to Barcelona. We cannot justify his presence in this Arsenal team by 5 good performances every two years nor by how good he might finally be IF fit. Time to move on and give others a chance. It is sad but a football club is not a charity.
Jack is still young enough to get over his injuries and to have a long career. He doesn’t use his pace to get away from the opposition, but definitely with his touch and initial burst of speed.
The skunk is an example of a player to really blossom late who clearly had the talent. Except jack won’t be a cunt. Have some faith. Football deserves to still have a little magic for us to dream about.
Feel sad for Tomas! He was an outstanding player and still has football in his legs. Think many young players can learn from him in training. Hopefully it will be a shorter break.
Big decisions to make in the summer. Honestly believe Rosicky (much as i love him and was warmed to see him yday) has to be let go of, along with Flam and Arteta. Wilshere maybe has one more season to prove he is worth persisting with…he is after all on big wages, takes a long time to find form after each injury and is potentially holding back the signing of an equally good but less injury prone alternative. Decisions!
Never let go off Rosicky.
I can’t even stand the thought 🙁
This is sad i was really happy to see him yesterday
Arsenal are paying about 7-8 million in wages for these two this season for potentially 20 minutes action…not great
Wilshere needs to be sold, but would any club take him?
This is getting thumbed down but it really shouldn’t be. It’s not an insult to Wilshere as a person, merely a reflection that we need footballers who can play the game for us.
Iwobi will step up in his spot, or we could release the Jeff, or we could buy Carles Gil. Options everywhere I tell ya
Jack is 24 now.
Sell Jack?
Don’t even think about it. Hopefully the lad will come back next season stonger and fitter than ever. Flamini ,Arteta and Rosicky I can understand feelings that their time has come and gone ,but sell Jack…….no no no .
How often have I reas that kind of comment about Jaaaack! That’s what happens to a player pushed too much while being young. And over-estimated too much while being average. Do you want him back and then resuming the start of last season with him failing totally as n°10 but being at this place again and again before Özil and Cazorla just because he is English and Arsenal’s puppie?
Alex
Jack at his best is possibly the best English footballer and we need 8 homegrown players in the squad.
Can you imagine selling him on and seeing him eventually trotting out with Fabregas in Chelsea colours ?
He is only 24 and is not overrated as far as I am concerned. Sell him. Definitely not.
Wilshere is 24 and he already missed 2 seasons… its sad
The idea that yesterday was Rosicky’s last performance for the club… My stomach hurts.
Diaby may have left but appears he left his DNA with JW.
FUCK!!!!
I guess the dreams of rosicky alongside the coq in the santi role are over.
Basically FUCK!!!!
Is there any other profession in the world that continues to pay its employees without the said employee giving anything back to the company? Lets remove sentiment, and be honest with ourselves here. We all love Jack and
want him to come good, but what has
he contributed to this club? Personally, I won’t have employee on my payroll that hasn’t contributed anything to the growth of my company. You can hate my comment all you want but that’s the brutal truth, and I’m entitled to an opinion.
I really hate these faux-realist/business arguments. They’re so fucking dehumanising and reductive to the point of absurdity. For one thing employees are people not atm machines for their employers. Another thing is loyalty is 2 way street. You can’t expect a player to stand by you through the tough times if you’re not willing to do the same. With your mindset we should have sold Ramsey years ago, let Pires go after his season ending injury way back when, it’s just fickle thinking under the guise of ruthless efficiency. But that is also BS, Chelsea, Man U, City and even… Read more »
Considering the amount of gain the clubs get from players when they are healthy, when they are making promotional appearances, and the merchandise they sell for the club – people continue to buy Wilshere and Rosicky kits, I can assure you – that is all part of the agreement. You try to tell a player that if they get a knee injury they’re out at the next window you’ll be laughed in the face. This is why players negotiate long contracts, and why athletic contracts exist in the first place. ‘My way or nothing’ has a very limited lifespan. For… Read more »
Seriously?!
Jack & Tomas, injury cases needs to be looked into. Is there cuse over there careers. Pls pray for jack & Tomas
I feel sorry for both Rosicky & Arteta but I hope they are offered coaching roles and their playing contracts not renewed.
It’s horrible to say but in terms of contributing on the pitch this season they have been a waste of wages and a proper player should have been signed in the summer to replace them, hindsight and all that.
Arsenal fans love Wilshere
Wilshire – Meh. But Rosicky, that’s entirely a different story.
Not too bad.
I think Wenger said that Wilshere’s back but now it’s just a matter of bringing his cardio and physical levels back to the required standard to play Premier League matches and this is going to take a month and half or so.
I think people are out of their goddamn minds if they think a club of Arsenal’s size and financial clout can’t harbor a player like Jack Wilshere. It’s a drop in the bucket.
We’ve got a very sound looking team now with Coquelin back and Elneny coming in. I’m definitely not sweating over Jack Wilshere
If Rosicky was a gentleman, he’d ask that his contract be terminated and retire to save the club half a million quid in wages.
He’s a professional football player. Being a gentleman has nothing to do with anything.
But don’t professional footballers…you know….sort of…errr….actually play football?!
Rosicky WILL retire in May. What’s the point of trying to get fit….to retire?!!?
They’re also people. I don’t get your point at all. Why wouldn’t he try and get fit?
Sure he’ll try and get fit to justify his huge salary….but realistically he’s not going to play…..ever again. We all know it. He should walk away.
Example: Neville at Utd, Overmars at Barca.
Rosicky and Arteta have been brilliant for us. Unfortunately they are in the tail end of their careers. I thought Wenger would have released at least one of them last summer.
Regards Jack, I believe the question mark on his return may have prompted the Elneny move.
Rather than a DM, Elneny can in time cover this role (He isn’t at Flamini’s level yet) but in reality is brought in to provide back up for Ramsey in the engine room/link role. When you consider Rosicky is also 50-50 fitness-wise, it makes plenty of sense.
That is always the big concern with players coming back from long term injuries (esp those that have a history of them) where they pick up something muscular not related to the injury that had kept them out. Really sucks and really feel for Rosicky. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to finally be fit after such a long absence (and years of them really) to play in a home match again and now probably be out for the remainder of the season or if he does return would struggle to get into the squad. This is a big… Read more »