Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Francis Coquelin will miss tomorrow night’s Capital One Cup clash with Sp*rs due to the knee injury he picked up against Chelsea.
However, there’s a good news as Per Mertesacker returns in time to slot back into the side to help cope with Gabriel’s suspension.
Speaking about the Frenchman, Wenger said, “His knee is swollen and he is being assessed but we hope it is just a short-term problem.”
[Insert your own gag about Arsenal injuries and time frames here – we’re done].
It also seems like after two defeats in a week, Wenger is looking for his team to bounce back against the old enemy, and changes will be minimal with few inexperienced players in the squad.
“It should be a similar squad [to Chelsea],” he said. “I want to keep the squad together. We go game by game so I will make changes, for sure. How many?
“I’ve not decided yet. It will be quite an experienced squad with one or two younger players.”
One of those players is likely to be young forward Alex Iwobi, but it seems a place on the bench is the best he can hope for.
Coq out. somehow its always better when my girlfriend says it.
Merson is such a weapon. Has picked Cazorla as part of his combined arsenal/sp*rs 11.
I agree. She really is a lovely girl.
Haha haha haha haha haha
Still funny 🙂
https://www.change.org/p/the-football-association-the-fa-prevent-mike-dean-from-refereeing-another-arsenal-game
86,000 and counting. Let’s get to 100,000, please sign and send around to other supporters.
I asked my girlfriend to draw a rooster so I could get a ‘coq au vin’ print made. When she finished the drawing she turned to me and said, “We should get your coq framed.”
It was the best thing she ever said to me!
Now if only she were real…
Speaking of girls, Carneiro parted ways with Maureen. We should sign her up. Carneiro that is.
Can’t remember a match without our coq to plug in the holes.
i will Arteta peering through my fingers
*watch
FLAMINI
How reassuring!
will this game count towards the suspensions of gabby and santi because its domestic? will be interesting to see neither the coq- nor the -zorla in the middle of the park. rambo/mikel most likely id say
Yes, league cup games are counted. So it will be just this game for Santi and a tomorrow and two league games for Gabriel.
I don’t know about Gbariel if his suspension will start from today because we are appealing for reduced sentence and I think that when we get an answer from FA then will start his suspension.
Doesn’t work that way. He’s already got the red card and his suspension has already started. The hearing will simply determine the duration..whether it’ll be just tomorrow or the full 3 games.
I think the initial sending off will be reduced to 1 game because it wasn’t really violent, but then they will give him an extra game because he didn’t leave the field. 2 games seems fair.
Still puzzled about what Cazorla’s warning is for.
Violent conduct? If anything Gabriel should have been cautioned for not kicking Costa hard enough.
Apparentlly Cazorla gestured something to the officials, How unexpected and appropriate of Cazorla. Bravo
Also not leaving the field, apparently.
This game won’t count at all towards Gabriel’s suspension because he’s just had the red card overturned. Even better, Costa has just now been found guilty of violent conduct and banned for three games. So, even though Mr. Bean doesn’t face any sanctions, the FA has confirmed that he completely fucked up his handling of the situation. EVERY decision he made at the end of the first half has been overturned. I’d say I’m waiting with baited breath for the FA to take Mr. Bean off his next appointment and drop him to the Championship for a month or so,… Read more »
Just smash Sp*rs
mashed spuds = Smash. A fine product https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gLCj9qXfp4
They Flamed the spuddies.
Hopefully Coq is back for the weekend game against Leicester.
I think we should rest Sanchez for this game as he’s looked a bit jaded.
The players coming in need to give a better account of themselves as compared to their performance in Zagreb.
Its imperative to win against that lot otherwise there will be a lot of negativity.
A couple of off-the-bench matches for Alexis might be a good idea- we need the insurance for this one, and being that close will keep him hungry (as if that’s actually a concern). He’ll still get a chance to play into form.
So the Coq is gone?
This is our obligatory 2 week mad period per season isnt it?
Expect loses to spurs and Leciester and then a rallying charge toward the end of the season after ‘lessons learnt’.
thumbs down me all you will. I can recall a single period of meltdown shityourself performances from us each season. Im hoping this is it, because if it isnt. Boy i dont want to see that.
Do you always talk to yourself?
Title challenge is gone. You can’t lose 2/6 games at the start of the season and be taken seriously
When we were a great team we wouldn’t have lost against chavski. We’re a good team but too weak with aw sadly unprepared to drop players not performing
Chickens coming home to roost now after no do signing to complement and challenge coquelin. Arteta is not good enough
Good to hear it will be a strong squad, players like Chambers and Campbell should get a game.
No game against Sp*rs is a friendly though and I would hate to see a young team beaten heavily.
After the last two games we need to grow a pair and knock out the unwashed down the road.
I read coq is swollen but they’re hoping he can get stuck in at the weekend?
well done sir, well done
Shame on the thumbs downers. I can’t get enough Coq humour.
Coq out for Sp*rs,.. hehehe will be some consolation after the Stamford bridge screw job.
Hahahahahahhahhaahhahahahaha
How the fuck did we have to play FOUR consecutive away games !?!
Has any other team got to do that this season?
Luck of the draw that we got drawn away to Zagreb and away to Spurms in the midst of two consecutive away league matches. Nothing to get upset about.
I’d like to have seen Mertesacker take a final game’s break and have Chambers team up with Kos or someone else just for that bit more of experience. Curious to see how Wenger rotates the team tomorrow. Regardless, shall be an exciting watch.
Better to give Mertersacker the worthless cup match in order to get him up to match speed.
Shits shall be dispatched properly.
Same old clueless Wenger,
On and off the field.
If Coquelin knee is still swollen then theres no way that it has been assessed properly… There’s obviously ligament damage in there, so you can now start throwing your f#cks at Wenger for not buying a DM Because Coquelin will be out of action for a long time!!!
Thanks, doctor.
That’s DR. Fatboy to you son.
Dammit Jim, he’s a pessimist, not a Doctor!
Your getting thumbed down because you hinted at criticism of the almighty!
Who needs proper cover in crucial positions? Not us
Who plays players continually who don’t perform? Yay we do
My Coq is injured ):
Better safe than sorry I say. Who knows what kind of horrible diseases we could catch by inserting our Coq into the lineup against spurs.
Harr harr
We are going to have to accept that Arteta isn’t a like for like replacement for Coq and be conscious of that as a team to play to his strengths as well as his weaknesses. Maybe it’s time to put Ramsey back in the middle of the park, his industry with artetaz game control passing was a solid combination a few seasons back.
This is true. Only question is, will Ramsey be willing to rein in his urge to get forward and score all the time, and play like, well, an actual central midfielder?
I don’t think there is enough accountability in this team. No one calls anyone else out, and there’s very little standing up for your team mate either. Not good.
There’s not just Ramsey he seems to get lot! How about ozil? Bane one game against a top 4 team where he has been instrumental
Actually is Coq is out for a while( he will be) then Rambi with Caz would be preferable. Not convinced Arteta will replace Coq actually
Swelling on the knee is not a good sign and could be a big problem if Coquelin comes back too soon as his ligaments are obviously strained and weakened and therefore more susceptible to a full tear. As much as we need him out there I hope Wenger will wait until he is 100% so no longer term damage is done. Arteta will probably play tomorrow in place of Coquelin with Ramsey in there with him in place of Carzola, but wonder going forward if he will give Chambers much of a look there if Coquelin has to miss a… Read more »
Interested to see how Mertesacker and Chambers line-up, if it is to be those two, as they both prefer the right centre back position. When they’ve played together before Mert’s played on the left and looked uncomfortable, personaly I’d have that the other way round. Midfield three of Arteta, Flamini and Ramsey sounds strong, and would help compensate for Arteta’s current lack of physicality, which I’m hoping will return a bit with more game time. Was surprised Flamini didn’t start alongside Arteta against Zagreb. I’d go with: Ospina-Debuchy Mertesacker Chambers Gibbs- Walcott Ramsey Arteta Flamini Ox – Giroud Ozil and… Read more »
Balls. Our coq is broken 🙁
I want Wenger to try Chambers in the DM position, I think he will do well. Our problem right now is in the goal scoring department so his replacement could also be an attacking one like oxlade? or Ramsey and Cazorla in that role?
With our #3 (or #2 depending on your preference) defender out for a few matches, I hope he does not play Chambers elsewhere. We need to keep the backup, not injure him in a position we can cover with a natural midfielder.
I believe the best and most position-appropriate move is to require Ramsey to play properly in position. He’s a quite able tackler and defender when he sticks to his duties as we saw in previous performances with Arteta.
It will be important to get back to winning ways even if it is the Capital One cup. This is a good opportunity to wear in players who need to get up to speed in particular Arteta, the Ox and Ramsey. Arteta Ramsey partnership will be a crucial short term one with Coqzorla out. Many dismiss the impact of Santi in that midfield partnership. This is erroneous as the game at Liverpool serves to demonstrate. Coquelin was playing in the game (albeit in front of two inexperienced Cbacks) we were much tighter second half when Santi was withdrawn from the… Read more »
Can’t afford to rest Sanchez, we lost to sp*rs without him last season, our moral’s will hit rock bottom if we loose this one
We will still rock out with our Coq out
Hahahahahahhahhaahhahahahaha
I would like to see Mathieu Debuchy play DM in Coq’s absence… Good tackler knows the defensive side of the game, good passer of the ball, likes to go forward… The guy fits the profile for this position would be a good box to box player.