Arsenal Banter Archive December 10 2015

10 Dec 2015 17:20:50
Given our current injury situation should Ozil be rested for the villa game considering he went into last night's game with a calf strain. City game and Christmas schedule coming up is when we need him. Do we rest him for one game or risk losing him for a number? If he is rested who replaces him? Ramsey is probably the obvious but who then fills in beside flamini?

10 Dec 2015 21:26:34
Rest him and Oly who was injured too, leave Ramsey right of Flamini Gibbs left then up top Joel left Ox right Theo down the middle, 4 3 3, if we want to protect rather than risk our players its the only option I see.

10 Dec 2015 21:58:17
Risky, but if we we're to do that I would start Walcott and Campbell on the wings with Giroud leading the line (assuming he didn't pick up a knock v Olympiakos) . Flamini in a deep lying CDM role and both Ox and Ramsey as CMs/CAMs taking turns to break forward, go wide to support attacks and sit alongside Flamini when we don't have the ball.

But let's be honest, no way Ozil is being rested when we have Cazorla, Wilshere, Alexis and Rosicky all injured.

10 Dec 2015 22:25:38
But Detroit isn't that what we got wrong with Sanchez playing him when we shouldn't have because we were short?

10 Dec 2015 22:25:39
It's a tough one guys but if there's the slightest doubt I'd rest him. Don't need another Sanchez situation.

10 Dec 2015 12:36:43
{Ed's Note - We have posted a new article entitled, Nice One Naismith As Chelsea Turn The Corner, Maybe

10 Dec 2015 10:05:34
my thoughts on the next stage, real bayern Barcelona will all progress.

atletico i feel will beat all second place teams bar possibly psg and with juve i wouldn't like to call that. and of course we can run them close.

zenit and wolfsburg for me if i can pick a team leaning towards wolfsburg possibly.

10 Dec 2015 10:35:32
Depends on who we have arse, but with Sanchez back, Wilshire, Welbeck and a signing in January then we won't fear many .

As ever with us its injuries that do us.

10 Dec 2015 11:39:23
so if there back you will fancy us to knock out Barcelona and real madrid?

i signing would be nice who do you want?

10 Dec 2015 12:22:00
No I don't, but it wouldn't be totally one way traffic. our first choice 14-15 players are very good, its when we have injuries

Trouble is with signing someone is the quality is still in the C L.

10 Dec 2015 12:30:07
The games for the last 16 round of champions league fixtures are scheduled for the first leg: February 16/17 or 23/24 and the second leg: March 8/9, or 15/16.

If things go well for him, Coquelin has a chance of being back for the 1st fixture, especially if we draw the later dates as his scheduled date of return is Feb 16th.

In fact everyone, excepting we don't get another glut of them, bar Cazorla who is due back mid March should be back off the treatment table.

Before you shoot I'm just indicating how it could work out, we all know it's unlikely but wouldn't it be good if we've done all our injuries for the season.

A bench with possible options from Cazorla, Welbeck, Wilshere, Chamberlain, Walcott, Campbell, Giroud and Rosicky on is so much more impressive because last night it was simply Chamberlain who could have made a difference.

That will make a huge difference if we do draw one of the big big boys. We have shown what we are capable of.

10 Dec 2015 14:18:44
We need to get Wolfsburg Ideally just to get us some time, if we do i'm confident of getting past them. If and only if we have players back a FULL strength 14/15 Arsenal will be a match for most teams.

10 Dec 2015 09:24:35
Excellent performance and result last night. Hopefully we can follow it up with a win against Villa on Sunday. The news on Sanchez sounds promising and Wilshere also appears to be close to returning. In the new year Welbeck and Rosicky should be back. I would love to see us make a top quality defensive midfield signing in the window, which will fill the gap until Coquelin returns. Pires suggested we should sign Wanyama, which would be a good signing as he is used to the Premier League.

{Ed001's Note - isn't this the same thing Arsenal fans say every year, just before it all falls apart?}

10 Dec 2015 09:42:46
Its a very fair q question Ed001 and one people are justified in asking until we actually prove ourselves to be a team capable of having a complete season rather than either a great first or second half of a season.
People can be offended by the suggestion and point as to why this time it's different but the proof of the pudding 11 years without a challenge doesn't lie.

{Ed001's Note - I really don't see what is so different this year. I am hoping someone can explain it to me. It always seems to come down to a reliance on certain injury prone players to stay fit and to consider them as 'like new signings' rather than actually going out and getting another Ozil/Sanchez/Cech to complete the team.}

10 Dec 2015 09:56:08
You're right ed01, every year the same hopes are dashed.
Unfortunately my club has been filled at the top with a board who are happy with the status quo and a manager who is very adept at keeping that.
And before the glass half full posters jump down my throat because we scraped through last night, please remember we should never have been in the position of needing that win last night.

10 Dec 2015 10:00:10
Perhaps there is a bit of deja boys about it ed and the proof will only be in the pudding come May. But the facts of it are we remain in the champions league and are just two points off the top in premier league so all in all not to shabby. We are simply supporters who continue to hope and believe. What would you rather, that we mope around thinking that our current situation is going to end in failure? If we thought that way it wouldn't really be "supporting" would it .

10 Dec 2015 10:58:33
we were 2 players short before the season started, and now we are way way short. it helps the teams contending are faltering aswell, but when the pressure moments turn up in march and april, we will need that depth, and i hope wenger will not only buy that CDM we soo need, but hopefully invest in a winger/forward aswell.

10 Dec 2015 11:41:52
we are closer in the prem no doubt, leicester are top i'm still in disbelief not even dynamo would of predicted that. champions league a winner from real madrid, barca, psg, bayern, atletico only for me. let's see tho.

10 Dec 2015 11:58:10
We are the premier leagues great pretenders, and yes it is horrible to have to admit that but its true until we prove otherwise.
We have all the resources not to be so but until we use them or become so good we don't have to use them all then we will continue to talk a good title challenge.

10 Dec 2015 17:31:51
The only thing I think that could be different or should I say hope is that we are usually not really in the race by now and it's usually after xmas that we go on a run to finish in the top four and usually scrape it by our teeth. So going by the last few seasons we should finish the season off as the form team that's my take anyhow.

10 Dec 2015 00:16:42
Can anyone remember the last time Ozil DIDN'T play well? Superb again tonight, always involved, demanding the ball, movement outstanding. With the ball at his feet it is simply a thing of beauty.

10 Dec 2015 07:20:02
I went Saturday v Sunderland and Mesut was quality. Ran the show and put in a shift that got us over the line. AW bought a gem and with Sanchez and now a worldy keeper in Cech between the sticks things are looking good. Still need a battling midfielder in January and I'd make a move for Stones @ Everton for cover to our cbs.

10 Dec 2015 08:05:56
Stones as cover?
The boy is top draw, I would throw him straight in.

10 Dec 2015 08:28:06
Buying Stones would make a statement too, as Derby said, pay £50 million, he'd be worth every penny and awesome next to Koscielny.

10 Dec 2015 08:42:19
If we were lucky enough to get Stones he would automatically be second behind Kos, John Stones days as an understudy to anyone are most definitely in the past the boy is very top class, although if we got him I'd be as shocked as I was when we got Mesut because he has his pick of virtually any club he wants.

10 Dec 2015 09:59:10
you know it red dog :)

10 Dec 2015 07:04:05
Don't know what else to add, just a World Class player who is a true joy to watch.

10 Dec 2015 13:52:08
ye same ubi. tell me who you pick if we can sign one player in jan.