Coquelin injury worsens Arsenal’s defensive crisis
Things just go from bad to worse in the Arsenal back line with a never-ending litany of injuries. The Gunners had already lost Sagna, Gibbs, Jenkinson and Santos long before Christmas, and Wenger had no choice but to use all four centre-backs as cover.
Then Johan Djourou got sent off at the same time as Thomas Vermaelen picked up an injury, which meant that Francis Coquelin and Ignasi Miquel had to be promoted to the Arsenal starting line-up against Leeds (and to enable Per Mertesacker to get a well-earned rest).
But alas Coquelin then succumber to a hamstring problem after half an hour of the FA Cup tie, and the even younger Nico Yennaris had to be thrown to the Lions.
Wenger thinks that Coquelin will be out for “a few weeks” and he also said that he hoped that Thomas Vermaelen may return in time to face Manchester United (on 22nd Jan) but as for the other defenders, Wenger said: “Gibbs is doing well but none of them are ready for the next few weeks at least.”
So Wenger’s choices to face Swansea are severely restricted. The rested Mertesacker will return beside Laurent Koscielny (who is the one constant at the moment). Djourou will return from suspension and it looks like Wenger will be forced to play Ignasi Miquel to make up the back four.
We must all hope that there are no more injuries sustained again this week and that Vermaelen really does return against Man Utd the following weekend, or Wayne Rooney and Co could be in for another field day against the inexperienced full-backs….
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Out of tune?. Like or Dislike:
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I want some of what Black Gooner is high on. . . . . .
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@ sparko
Yeah either he’s taking the mickey out of Heskey or he’s seriously on a one way ticket to euphoric madness.
Yennaris and Miquel did well and good to see them get some time. Arshavin looked dangerous but lacked the clinical finish.
As for the King, enough said!
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This happens when you play ur players out of prefferd position..now we don’t have backup for alex song also..!
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all i can say is INTENSIFY TRAINING. how come ours is the only team that loses key players to injury during vital periods of the season?
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Makes you wonder. Arsenal is short at the back. Because and up and coming midfielder has now got injured lol JESUS! BRING BACK EBOUE!
Saying that Yennaris was AWSOME.
One other note. How SHOCKING was Chamakh and Arsharvin? Bleeding Norra
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I think Black Gooner IS Emile Heskey!!!
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More worryingly if song picks up a knock or an suspension then we have no coquelin no frimpong no diaby no wilshire we dont even have denilson. no it will back to craig eastmond!!
also with swanseas tricky wingers i fear for djourou and miquel. i think we would actually be better off with hoyte and yennaris. but perhaps we should consider going 3 at the back djourou mertesacker koscielny in a 352. henry could play up top with walcott then chamberlain ramsey song arteta ryo across the middle. park arshavin rosicky benayoun yennaris miquel joining a keeper on the bench.
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Out of tune?. Like or Dislike:
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just play the kid yennaris he was so nervous shaking ,,,,but he stood his ground and got more pace than djourou typcial full back deserves a chance at least.
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Just get that left back on loan! Or buy one. Because then we will have a normal team for Manu : vermealen and mertesacker centre back, the new left back, and koscielbey right back. Or rest drop mertesacker and play djo…actually, scrap that
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i must admit miquel did a decent job at LB !
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Wenger should as a matter of urgency please buy at least one seasoned left back/defender (Wayne Bridge/Taye Taiwo/whoever), lest we may witness another massacre at the Emirates in the hands of Man U on January 22!
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Miquel has shown he’s gonna be top quality, but he’s still not 100% ready for a full run of games. Within the next couple of years he will be a great player for us.
Chamakh was just fucking aweful yesterday and Arshavin was just slightly less. He moped around for half of the game then fired shots he should’ve scored on into the stands the other half of the time. Arsene needs to take a page out of Jurgen Klinsmans playbook and bring in a sports psychologist to work on AA’s head. No,just sell him and then use the money and space vacated to bring in a true player.
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Kos, TV5, Per and Miquel would be alright for me although very defensive. I’ve been impressed by Miquel apart from one situation last season, I forget who against, when him and Djourou let a striker run between them and score. If we can get those 4 back in time for United it shouldn’t go too badly. If Djourou or Squillaci need to play I fear that they’ll make mistakes.
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OH NO Djourou will be back! Yennaris is so much more capable and attentive. Djourou just looks uncomfortable and indecisive on the pitch. He always looks vulnerable to loosing possession or making a silly pass. Frankly he’s not Arsenal class.
Sagna please come back soon!
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Does anyone remember what all the talk was about when Chamahk was signed for AFC? It was Never because he was a prolific goal scorer… It was more on the ‘we finally have someone dominant in the air and a physical presence upfront’ side.. And in his first few weeks at AFC he scored 11 goals in 20 odd games… No one was complaining then were they???
The guy has been unlucky in recent times i think, with the fantastic form of RVP that has seen him stuck on the bench with an odd league cup and/or FA cup appearance… But to suggest he’s ‘pathetic’, ‘useless’, and all the things that have been written about him is a bit ‘pathetic’ if you ask me… I doubt even Lionel Messi would be prolific, on the bench. . . . . .
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Really impressed with the display from Yennaris and miguel was also good.
Hopefully we will see more of Park, Ryo and AOC rather than Arshavin and Chamakh.
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wenger needs to bring a wing back on lone soonnnn
if we can bring in a left back until the end of the season
we should be okay
we cant lose and drop silly point away
the spuds could be 9 point ahead of us
and not many games to go.
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@ Charlie the Orient FA Cup game.
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And as far as the AFC defence goes, too much focus was put on trying to strenghthen the CB positions that LB and RB were a bit neglected in some ways… We have about 5 or 6 CB’s that have grown in confidence through the season but have been forced to fill in at full back because of injuries…now they’re all getting injured…. Question, do you buy some more or wait for the players on the injury list to come back?
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It’s that time of month again when we have to face United. As usual we have half a squad and are forced to play less experienced players. To be honest with you I would keep Yennaris as RB, Miquel LB and Kos, Merts CB, (That is if Vermalaen is not ready, otherwise play him of course over Miquel.) Play Yennaris against Swansea as they are not very physical and will be good experience for him just before we play United. From what I have seen he looks better than Djoure. I wouldn’t trust Djoure with half a dozen eggs.
Then in midfield I pray Wilshere will be back in time. We need that spark Ramsey and Arteta lack. I would also like to see AOC against Swansea AND United. Play him LW, Walcott RW, RVP CF, Gervinho just behind RvP, Song and Wilshere MF, Yennaris RB, Merts CB, Koss CB, Vermalaen LB, Polecat GK. The above in a 4-2-4 formation. I believe with AOC and Walcott on both wings we will have some serious speed and assists for RvP. AOC can also cut in and have a shot as we see he likes to do, but from the left its a bit difficult. Gervinho will do what he does best by running at them and causing havoc in the box. I would love to see Henry come on against Swansea too, not sure about United as we can see he is not as fit, but maybe a late sub again? Would love to see him put on past De Gea!
Good luck this month gunners, and get better soon our wounded soldiers, Jack, Sagna, Coquelin, Jenkinson.
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Just a bit off topic, but Walcott please hand the number 14 back to Thierry Henry you little brat!
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Meant to say AOC cutting in from the ‘right’ is a bit difficult. Playing a LW position and cutting in would be perfect for shooting.
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Meant to say its a bit difficult for AOC cutting in from the ‘right’ to the ‘left’ to shoot. Would suit him better to play LW, as he can also cross with his left foot and when he gets the chance, he can cut in to the right ad have a go.
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If we loose to Swansea or get a hiding by united then wenger must be accountable. It’s 10 days into the transfer window and wenger still hasn’t addressed the problems we have at the back. Even though he has admitted we need someone. God help us if song or rvp gets injured
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say all you want but personally, i do not consider marouanne chamakh to be a striker any more. To me, he’s more of a really enthusiastic fan!
Sell the dude!
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@ Blob
How can Wenger be accountable when transfers rely on an agreement between 3 parties? The player and 2 clubs involved have to reach an agreement. Negotiation regarding price could take considerable time before it reaches a deal as these 3 parties will test each others’ resolve. You say it’s been 10 days and we haven’t signed anyone. I say there is 20-21 days to go which is a long way away from the window closing. Why would Arsenal,any team or player rush into making decisions when they could possibly gain from waiting and seeing how the market pans out?
On another note, Wenger isn’t fully responsible for recruitment. He may pass on the urgency for a particular player but the board still have the final say as they’re the ones that can grant the funds. It’s like Wenger expressing his desire to sign Neymar if we had the money, but he obviously knows the board don’t have the same buying power as your Chelseas, Man Citys and PSGs. I understand that the board love Wenger for his shrewd spending and yes sometimes we just wish the manager splurges, but this is the reason why he has kept his job for the last 16 years.
In Wenger I trust!
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