I totally agree, but I think we should try and get through this game 1st, then following this we can rotate for the next CL game. By then Coq may be back, we may have a new signing or two (who may be able to play in the CL), Wilshere, Rosicky, Arteta and Sanchez should be back, and we will have greater ability to rotate. If we don't get through this game, then we will be facing Thursday/Sunday games and even if we rotate, it'll still take it's toll on the squad.
It's all about risk assessment, if we lose any key players then we're going into a busy and important xmas period down. We have a great op to grab top providing we get momentum but losing players will screw this up. I'd rather we enter Europa than mess up our chances in the league. Also, we can play some of our fringe players in Europa and see if they are good enough to hit our team. We don't have the op to play these guys usually.
Fair enough. Personally i think thats a bigger risk, particularly to the 1st teamers we'd need to play in the europa, but we cant always agree!
Not if we treat it as a Carling Cup and use all our youngster/fringe players! But I guess we can't always agree, but you make good points.
We should definitely go for it. It makes no sense putting out a weakened team and then dropping to Europa. I understand this month is going to be crucial and we can't afford another injury but we owe it to ourselves to give it a proper go and advance.
I prefer we continue in CL but it's a big ask tomorrow. Really don't want the EL but playing time for reserves and youth development would be good. Plus if we go further than Spurs in the EL using our reserves it will so **** the Spurs fans off ! #addedbonus
That would be a good plus point! Back on the issue, i think we have a real chance in the PL but not in the CL. For me it would be a shame to blow it on injuries if we are playing so many games in other competitions, especially if we don't have a realistic chance in it.
If we do make it to the last 16, we'll have enough players back by then to compete in all three competitions. Not saying we can win the CL but I'd like for us to go far. Our current first team: Cech Bellerin Mert Kos Monreal Ramsey Flamini Oxo Ozil Campbell Giroud We have Walcott back. Sanchez back in two weeks. Wilshere, Wellbeck and Rosicky back in January. Fingers crossed, we'll buy a DM in Jan. By Jan it should be (hopefully) FIRST XI: Cech Bellerin Mert Kos Monreal Ramsey NewDM Oxo Ozil Sanchez Walcott Bench: Giroud, Campbell, Ospina, Wilshere, Gabriel, Debuchy, Wellbeck, Gibbs, Chambers, Flamini.
All or nothing tonight. So it should make for entertaining football. If we do go out tonight, then as disappointing as it would be, I'd still want us to do well in the Europa league and try and win it. As has been said, it would be good experience for our youth and reserves and we could concentrate our first team on the league.
Im not sure we are good enough to rest our entire first x11 and still win. Look what happened at the start of the cl campaign when we rested cech!
Maybe if our entire team was fit we could rest our first 11 and do well. But with the team in its current state, resting the first 11 means playing 5 or 6 youngsters who are not ready for top level competition. If we get europa league, we need to crash out in the first round otherwise our ability to challenge for the league title will severely suffer.
Arsenal XI: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Ramsey, Flamini; Ozil, Walcott, Campbell; Giroud.
