With Arsene Wenger pondering whether or not to start Danny Welbeck in today’s FA Cup 4th round tie with Southampton, the Arsenal manager is hopeful the 26 year old, and some of his other less frequently used attacking players, can make a big impact in the second half of the season.
Olivier Giroud had a spell on sidelines after a late start to the season; Theo Walcott hasn’t played since December 21st; while Lucas Perez has been in and out of the side since his £17m arrival from Deportivo la Coruña late in August.
Asked if Welbeck being fully fit might be a bonus as we head towards the business end of the season, Wenger said, “If he manages to get there quickly, yes. The players who played the most in our team offensively is basically Alexis.
“All the others – Giroud has not played too many games, he is fresh, Walcott is now coming back from a good breather, we have Lucas who has not played many games.
“We have plenty of offensive potential who are fresh. It’s now down to me to use them at the right moment when they are in good form and in the right way.”
With plenty of football still to play this season, and some fixture congestion likely due to postponements etc, the manager is going to have to use his squad well.
Thankfully, he’s not short of good options.
Up front we are looking strong. Defence is good. Light in midfield so hope we get some new fresh legs back there soon. Or that Coqram does well.
Only reason Chelsea are top and not us is cuz of injuries, or their lack thereof
I read an article the other day about when Santi starts, our win percentage is very high, can’t remember exactly but over 80 percent, I wish we had him available
And because of Chelsea’s lighter fixture list, which affects the risk for injuries and missed matches because of injuries too.
Hope to see more of Lucas in the coming games, has looked good most of the time he has played.
Or the fact that Chelsea played better.
Our injury record is still unbelievably woeful though. I absolutely love Santi but we shouldn’t have to wait for months for him to return from injury. I thought the backroom shake up where Shad came in would change our fortunes – but we’re still jinxed with the Injury God.
That was what we bought Xhaka for. Unfortunately, he has gone and gotten himself a 4 match ban just when he and Ramsey had started to click.
I was thinking that Forsythe had improved our injury record, so I looked it up. There was no change in days lost to injury in his first year (not surprising) but they dropped 25% in 2015-16 (2095 to 1567). We have 1066 now, over halfway through the season. So we have improved in this area. Also consider that the squad really is stronger now as well, so the loss of Cazorla, as important as he is, doesn’t have the same impact as, say, Fabregas being out when he was that center midfield linchpin. I honestly don’t think our injury record… Read more »
If Ox is fit, I think he has to be training as a CM these couple of weeks. We have plenty of options for the front 3 with Alexis, Giroud, Theo, Lucas, Welbeck, Iwobi, and even Gibbs if necessary, but no one else has played in CM. His burst of energy could be invaluable, particularly against mid-level opposition with energetic midfields of their own with Coq behind him to mop up.
Agree, we could possibly start him and Coq against Watford and then Coq-Ramsey against Chelsea (or Elneny if he is back). 3 matches in a week for Coq and especially Ramsey could be too much.
Good thinking. Maitland-Niles impressed too, didn’t he, as a DM today. But unlike Coq, foxy Ox can go box to box.
Not on subject but, Wycombe are 2 up v spuds. Gotta laugh. COYWW
Spurs are just too funny…
Chris Sutton comparing Wenger incident to di Canio shove on Alcock.Thinks he should have a 12 game ban. Sutton is such a cunt.