Arsenal’s defensive crisis deepens yet again
We may all be very happy to see Andre Santos depart for Brazil, but Arsenal may be in dire need of some more numbers at the back very shortly. At least Nacho Monreal has settled in very quickly and will certainly be an improvement on the wayward Brazilian, but he will not be available to play in our Champions League games against Bayern Munich.
The latest setback to be reported this morning is that Thomas Vermaelen’s ankle injury is worse than first thought and he has now had to have an injection to try and reduce the swelling more quickly and try and put off the need for an operation until the end of the season. Even so he We may now be unavailable for at least another couple of weeks before being risked.
Laurent Koscielny was dropped at the last minute this weekend as he hadn’t recovered enough from his calf problem to play, but we must be very hopeful he will be fully fit to face Bayern, while Jenkinson’s ban for his sending off last week won’t affect his ability to play against the German giants.
Kieran Gibbs is an even bigger worry, as Arsene Wenger has quickly re-estimated his recovery time from 2-3 weeks to make it 5-6 weeks. And we know how that story normally goes with young Gibbsy….
The good news is that Bacary Sagna found his form spectacularly this weekend when moved to the centre-back position, but another possible option for the right-back slot, Francis Coquelin, still has a niggling hamstring injury although Wenger hopes he will return to training soon.
Hopefully Wenger will give us all a more detailed update on our defensive injuries this coming weekend, but right now he must be worrying about the back-four line up for next week…..
Maybe Miguel can play a role. I know it sounds crazy but its better to play with 10 men than with santos been the 11 th player.
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Arteta will have to be on double duty sheltering Miquel. It has to be an immense defensive performance. Could careless if we play like Stoke. Just want the win.
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Any update on Meade?
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if our defence is the problem then we must be very lethal in our attack!
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hector bellerin should come into picture
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Stop worrying people, we have enough replacement for all these injuries just that they are young. They will surprise you when they come on, beside we have coqueline who can play both LB & RB just like Sagna at CB.
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Buy defensive cover, he refused. Now, whose headache is selection???
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We should only worry about Wilshere, hope his injury won’t take longer than 5 days quoted by Wenger.
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Looks like were going to have to dip into the youth system.
And the Loan window is still open, we could dip into another club and loan a CB from somewhere if it was really needed.
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@John Legend
Buying defenders is not the answer, we have defenders but it is difficult to put good ones on the bench for so long because they will loose form and confidence (Djourul), I think what we really need are utility players who can be called upon to play anywhere at anytime across the defence by so doing you play fit players, example, Sagna as CB very effective because was match fit. We use to have players like Song and Kolo T. who are utility players.
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@Lix,
“We used to have” but they were sold, its annoying. If he had brought in someone like Yanga or any other utility player, we would be covered. So, I think buying is still necessary. He should fix it somehow.
I just hope it does not affect our league game too.
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Get Meade some game time! Looks like a great prospect but I think it’ll be a back 4 of:
Jenkinson – Sagna – Mert – Miquel
Or maybe:
Sagna – Mert – Miquel – Jenkinson
Cos Jenkinson played left back at Charlton for a period of time I believe so he has experience there at least!
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I knew this would happen, Wenger’s stubbornness to bring in much needed reinforcements to the squad WILL cost us this season. I was pretty confident that with a full strength squad we’d have gone through against Bayern, but now, with us having all these injuries, i can’t see it happening. MAYBE if Wenger didn’t stick to one tactic, and we had 2 or 3 formations that we can play ( like teams in italy ) we’d stand a chance, for instance playing 3 at the back? but no, Arsene is a fool.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Did we or did we not, during the January window, repeatedly tell Wenger to buy a central defender, its not rocket science, will Steve Bould please shout in Wengers ear for the next hour, the following words, ” PAY ATTENTION!”.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Arsenals strength and conditioning team as well as the medical team need to be sacked…small injuries that should take 2 weeks end up being 3 months…yet rvps injury problems are behind him and aguero tears a hamstring and back within a few weeks :s
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Can see a lot of people who moan “we don’t have enough depth in the squad”. What are you speaking about? We have 4 defensive players injured (and Meade is the 5th) and we still can field 4 defenders with one on the bench. Why should we buy more? We don’t have 4 players injured all the season. If we buy some players, you will moan about deadwood by summer (’cause only 4 play, other 5 or 6 will be in deep reserve)
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We worry too much. Leave that headache for the coach that is his problem. Our work as fans is to support whatever team that is fielded for the day.
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Same sh1t, different season. Are we cursed or what? If this were a movie, I would swear that arsenal made a deal with the devil to build the Emirates stadium. Am I the only one here who feels that our endless injury worries that have persisted since we moved house is just a little bit spooky? This does not make sense. So that’s it. We are fcuked. How the hell are we supposed to play Bayern with a defense that is weakening by the minute?
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Jenkinson kos mert sagna.
Sagna did a job for us last season at left back, someone of his experience could easily switch sides, he may not be all that confident on his left side but his positioning play will still be spot on.
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Can’t we just get someone on loan?
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its not a coincidence this things happen after we fail to buy in trasfer window, SOMEONE KNEW THIS WILL SURELY HAPPEN, BUT HE DID NOTHING TO PREPARE FOR IT,
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I’d like to know who Wenger could’ve bought as a CB? Mbiwa? Hummels? Sahko? All cup tied so they wouldn’t of helped against Bayern.
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Funny how i see all Arsenal rejects going on loan and no perm-deal.
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How about Meade, any update. The lad impressed me when playing in the cc and atleast hes a natural left back. Id be reasonably confident with Coq deployed at left back, i think hed make a very competent fulltime fullback.
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What about Ramsey at right back? He could be our new utility player. He seems more comfortable on the ball, plus we already have an overloaded midfield. I’d give him a try against Blackburn along with Miquel.
——————Mannone———————-
Rambo——–mert——-miquel———nacho
————-Diaby——-Arteta———–
——————Rosicky—————–
Gervinho————————–OX
—————–Giroud———————-
Bring on Santi, Theo, and Poldi if needed. Gotta trust some of our second teamers and we need to rest guys for Bayern.
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Santos wouldn’t have counted as a number anyway lol we would play better with ten men.
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Its amazing how some gooners are getting thumbs down for commenting that Wenger was a stubborn fool for not buying another CB!
Its blatantly obvious we need another CB and now look what’s happened. If some of you lot seriously believe we have a good defence with say, 2 of our COs out then you’re more foolish than Wenger .
Top teams need top squads, Bayern will be drooling
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sorry guys. im here now. really thinkin about bayern munchen.
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