Friday, March 29, 2024

Wenger reveals latest team news ahead of Leicester

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Arsenal will be without Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi for the trip to Leicester on Saturday.

The midfield duo picked up hamstring and thigh injuries in the 4-3 defeat to Liverpool last Sunday and both are expected to be out of action until after the international break at the start of the September.

There was some good news with the manager hinting that Laurent Koscielny could return for Saturday’s game to help ease the central-defensive problem.

“He is close,” he said, before speaking about his plans to give the player and extended break were put into disarray by pre-season injuries.

“I gave him holidays at the start because we have Gabriel and Mertesacker, but then we lost the two and we’re short of experience.”

Pressed again about the returns of Koscielny, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil, Wenger admitted it would be something of a risk.

“It’s a bit early, I will have to take a gamble maybe, but I still have 48 hours to decide that.

“If I have to gamble on one, it will be him [Koscielny].”

 

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5kywalker

so when Kos goes down with a calf injury after being rushed back, will this finally force his hand?

lol

Lol, why are you being downvoted fore stating a fact?

catbiscuits

lol bro, that wasn’t a fact

ScotchEggsRules

As much if a fact that he’s your “Brother”?

broken red army

Wengers stubbornness isnt a fact yet?

Bould's Eyeliner

I mean it was an open-ended question, so how could it be a fact?

The same way the above is not a fact.
“Catbiscuits is correct in his statement” is a fact.
The below sentence is true.
The above sentence is false.
I enjoy being shallow and pedantic.
Stay thirsty on Thursday my friends.

Bould's Eyeliner

I mean, it was an open-ended question, so how could it be a fact?
The same way the above is not a fact.
“Catbiscuits is correct in his statement” is a fact.
The below sentence is true.
The above sentence is false.
I enjoy being shallow and pedantic.
Stay thirsty on Thursday my friends.

George

think you might want to look up what the word “fact” means

lol

Oh, gawwwd. It was a tongue in cheek expression at our history with injuries. You might want to check up what ‘tongue in cheek’ means?

renaissancerosicky

Misapplying the meaning of fact is pretty poor tongue in cheek, to be fair…

Serpent

No, no, no. That will only be an opportunity for Chambers and Holding to step up.

Right now, I’m in the mind that only a full outbreak of tuberculosis AND a blood-red comet passing Colney would make Arsenal bring in anyone.

Clarkey

Indeed.

We seem to exist in some perpetual, fucked-up injury crisis. But I wonder how many of those injuries have been a direct result of Wenger either rushing an unfit player back into the side, or sending a substitute onto the pitch without a proper warm-up.

I think it was Einstein who said something about madmen doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.

Samgunz

Just pessimistic, no wonder we get so many injuries with such negative thinking fans.

Gus Caesar

One thing that seems to be overlooked about Koscielny is that he’s been carrying a chronic achilles problem for a few seasons. Also, mentally, he and Giroud were shattered by losing in the final. In my opinion it was perfectly sensible not to rush him back last week. The issue is obviously that the lack of alternatives and transfer inertia.

naflanesra

Not just achilles but back as well. Much like Ledley King (although not as chronic) at this point he’s being managed through it. Which makes our lack of transfer movement even sillier.

Gus Caesar

Yep, precisely. When you know that a) you’re two CBs down, b) one of them shouldn’t be rushed back and c) that one is at a heightened risk of injury you do all you can to ensure that you don’t endanger the team’s chances. To be fair, people are quick to praise Wenger for giving youngsters a chance (when does Mourinho ever credibly do that?) and people moan when players like Akpom don’t get chances, so giving Holding and Chambers an opportunity is a positive. The problem for me is the opportunity for Holding was too early, in too big… Read more »

NZGooner

Chambers and Holding should be more than able to cope, Tony Adams and David O’Leary were both 17-18 when they started their senior careers so why shouldn’t Holding be able to do the same?

Serpent

Because 18-year old Tony Adams didn’t have a Twitter account?

Gus Caesar

I’d love to be proved wrong here but I very much doubt that either will prove to be in the class of Adams and O’Leary. Besides, it’s less of an issue giving one of them a debut at 17,18, another thing entirely giving a debut to one alongside another relative novice (which neither Adams nor O’Leary got by my recollection) and in a big game with a febrile atmosphere. My issue isn’t with us playing them, it’s that we had to play them together so early and in such a tough game.

Injury Crisis FC

Why are we not using Montreal at CB? Surely he would have been a better partner for one of the younglings? I feel Chambers is still the safer option right now.

Gus Caesar

I don’t think we could move it from Canada…

Locksley444

Nobody at big clubs gives young central defenders Pl debuts and run in the first team without top league experience in England or elsewhere, unless we’re talking about Van gaal. Zouma had ligue 1 experience. Koscielny wasn’t as young and he still was raw when he came to us. The best attacking teams with shaky defences haven’t won the league(read Liverpool with Suarez and Manchester city without kompany). Teams that have gone on successful title runs have had a great back 4 or atleast a solid centre half pairing (Vidic – Ferdinand, Zouma-cnut-azpilicueta-ivanovic, Morgan-Huth). Wenger should get all the praise… Read more »

arsenally

Wenger is way past it! He should be thanked and promoted to the board!
Arsenal will not move forward whatever players are board, as long as the coaching stays the same.

#WengerUP

Begeegs

No way. Can you imagine his penny pinching on the board? Who would want to work under that?

Merlin's Panini

Could just give him an ambassadorial role. He can be in charge of the Ferrero Roche budget.

Yagaru

Even then he’d go and buy the Aldi own-brand instead!

Fergie

Hmmm, Aldi or Lidl? You get 2 more in a pack from Aldi, but Lidl’s taste less like cardboard. What to do, what to do? Oh wait the shops have closed and the party was last week anyway.

Scott P

We only buy top top quality Ferrero Roche, but we can’t pretend the English market is the same as the others. They will cost 10x as much at Waitrose vs. Aldi.

Nullvinho

The Board is the problem. Kroenke’s using Arsenal and the club’s cash obscene reserves as collateral to fund the expansion of his sports empire in the US. Arsenal will always be run as a profitable business as long as Kroenke is the majority shareholder. Ivan Gazidis? Former CEO of Nike, who knows how to turn a business profit. In Arsene Kroenke found the perfect manager to execute his plan.

A Gorilla

When was Gazidis CEO of Nike? Just looked that up and couldn’t find a thing.

Locksley444

I think he was the former commissioner of MLS, don’t quote me
on that though.

spinner

He wasn’t CEO of Nike. That was just something made up, for whatever reason?

Nullvinho

My bad, he wasn’t. I was misremembering facts. I stand by my original point thought.

ger

Ive taken to predicting our results by other means than looking at our available players, particularly because we tend not to able to win matches on our own steam anymore.
So, V Leicester, heres the beef……………Clattenberg (its all about me) as ref, means he will be booking Leicester players all over the park cause theyre a fiesty shower in the challenge and theyll end up with one, or maybe two sendings off. We will win, provided we dont play Granit and/or Coq, who will also get sent off if they are picked to start.

cygan'sbaldspot

Don’t fuck it up

Mootilated

Why are they gambles? Come on, they’ve had plenty of rest. All the other top teams have introduced the players that were on international duty over the summer, I don’t see why Ozil and Giroud need more rest.

George

Lloris just done his hammy and out for a month, not even an outfield player!

Toure Motors

Seeing as you like taking a gamble could you not offer Valencia 25m for their German international centre half?

Sol

?????????? am not suprised, it’s the same old wenger, ever ready to manage, other manages would have even forgotten they bought a replacement, anyway am not surprised we are yet to get a replacement for our injured defenders, I only feel sorry for the arsenal fans who year after year still feel wenger will dip into his transfer funds and buy the needed players everyone except him know we need and I feel sorry for myself because no matter how hard I try not to support this Club, the love runs deep sigh can’t bring myself to support any other… Read more »

JamieC

Is that you Sol? We need you back!

Newxieland

Leicester looked pretty average against Hull last week and we should be able to beat them despite our defensive woes. A win will settle a lot of the early jitters – which is rather toxic despite the season being only a week old… fans these days huh lol.

Campbell's Forehead

No doubt they’ll up their game against us come the weekend. I really worry if Chambers and Holding start again, Vardy and Musa with their pace and power will be too much for them unfortunately.

ScotchEggsRules

Vardy and Musa aren’t particularly powerful. Just quick.

Matt

Other Euro finalists have played already for their teams without problems. Anyway, hope Wenger does as well as possible in this his LAST season as a manager

JWH

It’s my 28th birthday today. Go Arsenal.

David

My 38th today, damn you youngsters!!

High berry

I’m older than the trees in your garden. Whippersnappers. Happy birthday to you anyway gooners

Indian Gooner

He knows we are short of experience but he still doesn’t want to sign anyone. What an absolute joke!
Looks like now Leicester City players are using Arsenal to get new and improved contracts.. What can I say? What have we become?

LEFT08

The answer to “what have we become” is probably deaf and/or blind.

He did not say at any point during the press conference that he doesn’t want to sign anyone.

In fact he said defence is the one area we are short and “we already invested at a very high price. And we will do so again”.

benkamp

“we already invested at a very high price. And we will do so again”. I hope wenger isn’t referring to Xhaka (35m) being a “very high price” hahahahahaha.
Maybe wenger should have signed Gundogen if he thinks he paid a very high price, Man City Paid £21m for him….. Bargain….. for a human…..

Gooners & Roses

So he prefers to gamble with our most injury prone defender rather than protect him?

That kind of logic is new.

Mr.Wood

The solution is easy. Start Koscielny, but only if he agrees to wear the following all match…..

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/df/bf/aa/dfbfaab786763c4c750b5c65a7d24a78.jpg

Gus Caesar

Ha, brilliant – now if we can just buy another 24 of them our injury troubles will be over. Line 4 of them up together in our defence and nobody will get through either.

Chamakh

Would be happy with Evans at this point tbf

Shea

The way Arsenal has been run has actually led me to not care about football anymore I’ve genuinely stopped caring about results and what Arsenal do because it’s the same all the time, I was once obsessed with this club they were my life but now I can’t be bothered it’s boring me too much seeing the same old rubbish on repeat. So I’m off to care about the rest of my life il pop back in ten years hopefully Arsenal have bought a few players by then good luck y’all

Gus Caesar

He says whilst logging onto an Arsenal fan site…

ScotchEggsRules

Because that takes a lot of time and effort? Maybe for you…

Gus Caesar

If you’re so bored and have stopped caring what does it matter how long it takes? You certainly won’t be going out of your way for the hassle of telling everyone else. Unless of course you’re talking bollocks and just saying it for show…

Corporal Gooner

Shea…. you are the absolute definition of a fair weather fan…. do one….
I don’t like digging people out but come on, your club is your club end of.

Tim

Sometimes I wish I could do just that, but nah. Love the club too much.

ger

Actually No……..heres another prediction.
Leicester will foul non stop and be ignored by Crettinberg (the ref), and then Coq will breath and get a straight red.

Norn Iron Gooner

I can actually see this happening.

ger

Anyone here understand the Gnabry situation?
Did he tell AW to Fuck Off in German?

Thank You Arsene

It is truly heartbreaking moment for all the fans out there to witness the current arsenal side, a team which has been going backwards in the last 10 years. Thanks to the owner, an owner who does not give a shit on whatsoever trophy or achievement with the club, a person who only take care of his bank account and make sure he is earning fucking billion dollars every year. A great club like Arsenal should not run in such way, they should have look for improvement and become one of the best clubs in the world. We got one… Read more »

broken red army

we dont need this kind of negativity. we’ve signed Oezil Sanchez and Cech. if we spend all our 200 millions cash reserves how would we pay for weekly maintenance. this year is our year. we dont need plastic fans like you. go support Chelsea you glory hunter. these were some of the replies I got couple of years back for saying same things you people are saying now. even once after bashing Stan Kroenke and supporting D.Dein dear Arseblog blogger called me a “twat”. and Im afraid you would forget all these next year when we will buy a player… Read more »

badaab

How would we pay for salaries? By using money generated from ticket sales, merchandise sales, and sponsorships like every other club does.

Hereford gooner

We’ll probably go in for wes Morgan and get turned down again due to a lack of ambition and the likelihood that he stands a better chance of silverware by staying at Leicester city

Rodriguino

I wouldn’t risk Kos in light of his calf issues, he could be a goner for the season. I’d start Nacho next to Holding/Chambers, bring in Gibbo and Xhaka for the Coq. Done.

broken red army

news? more like same old shit

High berry

SSDD. Same shit, different day.

Jack

One question I haven’t seen asked enough is ‘where is Yaya Sanogo?’ He was seen training back in July then has dropped off the face of the earth

Don

Could someone please explain to me why Özil will be unavailable again today when both he and Aaron Ramsey played at the semi final stage, but unlike Ramsey Özil needs two weeks extra break?

brnt

Ramsey literally just got hit with a hammy injury…

Don

Could someone please explain to me why Özil will be unavailable again Saturday when both he and Aaron Ramsey played at the semi final stage, but unlike Ramsey Özil needs two weeks extra break?

henza4

Ramsey did not play in the Semi Finals he was suspended and Ozil played. However Sagna who played in the final is already playing for city

Gus Caesar

What City decide to do is up to them – besides, they have Zabaleta, there’s only one Ozil. Surely the point is whether we want Ozil well-rested and sharp in January, March, May or under-prepared and prone to burnout or injury in a few months?

H18ury

He also confirmed we’ll be without Mustafi and Lacazette for the rest of the season.

Tim

I know this isn’t our worst off season ever, but it sure feels like it.

JOHN

Wenger should have gone to spec savers lol they do both glasses and hearing aids – Wenger needs both to see the obvious reinforcements required and hear what a laughing stock we have become in the transfer market!!!

GooneyToonie

Hmm, it is a mystery isn’t it – Wenger says he isn’t able to find quality in the market, he says the right player should strengthen the team, he says he isn’t afraid to spend for the right player. Yet, when he identifies such players like Vardy, Mahrez, Mustafi he just doesn’t go all out and sign them. Instead of spending 42m on Lacazatte spending 30m on Vardy would have been better. This is the difference between someone like Pep & Arsene – ruthlessness & priorities! A manager is supposed to win matches and managing finances is not his job,… Read more »

badaab

Well, we won’t have any new signings available to play at the weekend even if they were made now, so I’m not going to get worked up over it. In fact, I’m not even going to wake up early (i live in the us) and watch the match, that’s how apathetic I am right now… and I was considering getting a new home shirt, but can’t be bothered about that either, since it would feel like I’m rewarding the club with money when they’re dithering about doing nothing of consequence except counting cash. The optimist in me hopes that the… Read more »

Okoro E Alaebi

Well permit me to say this Arsene Wenger is more stubborn than a goat. He is the only coach on this planet earth that knows the needful but turns a blind eye because no player is worth the price tag but on them. If he can worthy players here on earth, then he can go to the after life to get his choice.

Norn Iron Gooner

My head hurts

Adiiii83

So Ramsey is out? Ah we are massive chance to win.

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