Horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. If this doesn't say to Wenger, that we need an extra signing or two in January (even on loan), I don't know what will. We've had the same team starting for the last 4 games. They were clearly worn out and we don't have enough players that we can field to replace those that are tired when we have a hectic schedule like the past week.
Fear? You realise that you're still 12th in the league, right? And we're still 2 points off the top? Fair play, your team ****ing creamed us today. But if, from this post, you're suggesting that you're going to be anywhere near us come May, you certainly need to bring yourself back down to reality. This was your first win in 7 matches.
Well we should, but with tired players, and so limited options, can't really do much. And then Newcastle a few days after that. And the only player of worth coming back anytime soon is Sanchez. We are in massive trouble squad wise.
I agree it's not a great scenario in terms of the squad. But I think today was more a case of a bad day at the office than fatigue.
Why didn't gibbs and/or gabriel start? It would have freshened up our defence, while it may have been worth starting oxo - though understand it can be a risk considering his recent form and how well campbell has been playing but we need fresh players...
Expect all of those to start on Monday. Gibbs for Monreal, Gabriel for Mert (though Kos had a horror show as well so maybe him), Debuchy for Bellerin, and OXO for campbell.
You can understand why Wenger didn't want to change a winning team, but our squad is looking really thin at the moment.
No way would I be swapping Debuchy for Bellerin and Campbell has been doing really well since he came into the team. I wouldn't change the CB pairing either and Monreal was one of our better players today. Easy to advocate changing the team, but sometimes it can cause more problems than it seeks to resolve. The only players who should be dropped are those that are genuinely fatigued.
Campbell has done well, but he was useless today, he is tired at the moment, and Walcott despite offering little, showed more than Campbell did today. Campbell also had a very ineffective game away at Villa, so he should be dropped in my opinion.
Bellerin's got to get some rest eventually, he is still young, and Wenger in the past has spoken about how playing young players too much could be a bit negative for them, and Bellerin does get these muscle knocks time to time, so I would rest him considering it's such a short space of time until we play again, just one day of actual rest before going back on the pitch.
I agree it's easy to advocate change in hindsight, and the team has been doing really well. Also there's been times people like me have asked for change and when made it's had a negative impact. But the way I see it lots of our players looked tired out there - our CBs, Campbell, Monreal, Ozil in particular. If we keep playing the same team game after game then the performance levels of our best players are going to get worse, and injuries more likely. Now we can't change everyone, but we have good enough players to swap out either 1,2 or 3 players in certain positions without the team significantly weakening. And the added energy might energize the rest.
If we do make any changes, I would play Oxo instead of Campbell, but I think messing around with the defence is asking for problems. Unless Mert or Kos are fatigued then they should start. The wing backs haven't really done much wrong to be honest.
does this result mean that there'll be more of those arguing shouty video interviews on arsenal tv with the Victor Meldrew bloke and the guy who is always drinking from an arsenal sports bottle like he is in imminent danger of dehydrating before our eyes?
Probably. Personally I can't stand those fan tv videos. It just gives a platform for mouthy gobshites to go off on one.
I have only seen them on here...and usually they are only put up when you lose...weirdly watchable...kind of like a cross between the crankies, alf garnett and and an argument on eastenders
Isn't this just typical? The moment you think we can finally challenge for something big and need I say, something we should be concentrating on, this happens!! Typical Arsenal under the current management and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels the pain
