please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Venue: Villa Park Sunday, December 13th 2015 KO Time: 13.30 BST please log in to view this image Head to Head Against Aston Villa: Played: 177 Wins: 74 Draws: 41 Losses: 62 Goals For: 283 Goals Against: 251 Goal Difference: 32 Last 6 Meetings: Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa Arsenal 5-0 Aston Villa Aston Villa 0-3 Arsenal Aston Villa 1-2 Arsenal Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa please log in to view this image Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Sunday's game against Aston Villa at Villa Park: on team news… We came back Thursday morning, so we will see the players today. We have no injuries after the game. on Alexis and Mikel Arteta… [They are] short-term injuries, neither will be available for Sunday. No Arteta and no Alexis - who is the shortest one. The others will be [available] after Christmas. on Jack Wilshere… If you ask me if he will be fit before the end of December, no chance. on Tomas Rosicky… He is quite positive. He is running outside but not ready yet. End of January. please log in to view this image
Another big game, after a big away European trip, it's never easy having to play away in the league just 3 days after playing away in Europe all the way in Greece, plus coming off a very big high. We still have a lot of injuries and quite a limited squad at the moment, other than OXO on the bench we don't have much options for our midfield or attacking options. I'd consider making 1 or 2 changes for this game to freshen things up, bring in the OX for Walcott, and maybe possibly, Debuchy or Gibbs to play at one of the full backs position.
I agree with your suggestions - at least we do have those options with Walcott coming back and not having played much, and Oxo, Gibbs, Gabriel and Debuchy fresh. I think we have options to rotate in every position except Ozil and Flamini which is the worry. But we'd definitely want to keep Giroud, Ramsey, Ozil, Flamini and Kos in the team as a settled spine.
After the Villa game we will get our final good rest, with 8 days worth of rest before we face City next Monday, and then after City we enter a big period with games coming thick and fast. We're going to need the full depth of our squad resources during that time.
That's a nice rest between Villa and Citey, and hopefully Sanchez will be back for the Citey game and potentially Arteta and Wilshere - so we could actually have some depth back by then, or definitely by the Southampton game (rumours that Rosicky could be back for that game!)
With a rest after this game before the Christmas fixtures come thick and fast I think its really important we pick up the three points here, particularly as City is our next game. We want to be on a high going into that match. I think Campbell deserves to start again given his recent good form and after his goals in the CL and Walcott returning to fitness, I'd give Giroud the nod up top. Otherwise due to injuries, unless anyone new is back to fitness, the rest of the team pretty much picks itself. I wouldn't rotate much given the rest time until our next game unless anyone is actually feeling fatigued.
Agree about Campbell. He's played his way into the first team in my opinion. I'd keep the same team that played in Greece, there's an old saying about not breaking up a winning team. We should only make changes if necessary.
Surprise, Surprise Wilshere definitely won't be back in December - at least that is what Wenger has said today...
But apparently no more injuries from the Olympiakos game which is good - because I was a bit worried about Ramsey, Giroud and Walcott!
To be fair, I think we all knew this anyway. But I reckon he'll be back at some point in January. His main target should be trying to stay fit from January (or whenever he returns) until the end of the season. If he can't do that, and he gets another long-term injury, it may be time to start thinking about selling him. Well, that's what I think we should do. I know Wenger won't do it though, somewhat understandably, but we need to start being more ruthless.
I concur, if he can't stay fit until the end of the season then 1. he'll never realise his potential and 2. he'll never be able to contribute consistently and reliably for us. It'll be a great shame if we/he have to lose out on his undoubted potential, though (if, and it's only hypothetical at the minute) if he gets injured, then who would buy a player who hasn't been fit for 3 years straight?
I wouldn't write Wilshere off if he doesn't maintain his fitness this season, if he can stay for he will be one of the best. But I do agree that he desperately needs to avoid injury if he's going to reach those heights.
If I had a penny for every time we said if Wilshere can stay fit he will have great potential......he will be 24 this January, he's no longer 16, and it's been the same story with him. If he can't stay fit long term, which most evidence shows he cannot, then he needs to be shipped out, we don't want to have another case of Diaby. He will be back in January, hopefully, let's see if he can actually stay fit for half a season, that will give us a good indication if he is truly glass man or not.
Not trying to be a smart arse but you've had a 4 day break since playing in Greece. And Villa ain't won since beating Bournemouth on the opening day of the season. ..so it's 14 games without a win (and only 3 draws)...and no wins at home all season...this is probably the 2nd best fixture you could have got this weekend...the only better game would be villa at home. If you do not win it would be another in a long line of shock results this season, if you lose it'll be the biggest shock this season imo
That's a stretch, Villa while on **** form, are on an established EPL side, so losing to them would hardly be considered the biggest shock of the season, how is that a bigger shocker than Chelsea the champions losing at home to newly promoted side Bournemouth, their first ever season in the top flight, or them beating United?
Cos Chelsea and United are playing badly while Bournemouth have been playing well and have been unlucky to lose some of their matches ... Villa have been shockingly bad...and it's not just a bad patch, they have been poor for 4 seasons on the trot so their 3 draws and 11 losses in 14 matches is not a one off issue...then there's no wins at home, their best player being disciplined for going on the piss, no "new manager bounce" etc. and you have the best league record since January 2015 To me that would make a villa win the biggest shock this season so far.
Why is chatting football a wum thing? Seriously? I have said nothing insulting about arsenal...simply slagged of villa
United are 4th and ahead of you in the league, as bad as they're playing, they are only around 4 points from first, and have spent 250 million and have a squad worth 330 million compared to Bournemouth who have a squad value of 30 million. Chelski as **** as they are, are still last season's champions, and should never be losing at home to a side like Bournemouth. So no, it would not make a Villa win the biggest shock of the season, maybe only in your biased Spurs head, but not for anyone else.
