International Friendlies could ruin Arsenal’s crucial month!
I have an interesting Guest Post today from an Arsenal fan in the Caribbean who is known as McSwagger on Just Arsenal. He is very worried that the usual “meaningless friendlies” could have an adverse affect on what could be the most crucial month of the season. Over to Mr McSwagger……
International Friendlies
Apparently three of our main defenders (Clichy, Koscielny and Sagna) are picked in a French lineup to face Brazil on the 9th of this month. Also included in the squad is Abou Diaby. While I am glad that our players get to represent their country and gain caps (especially Koscielny) it is a bit worrying considering that this month is the most important and defining month on our season. It determines whether or not we stay on track to compete in all our competitions.
Schedule:
Newcastle vs Arsenal – 5.02.2011
Arsenal vs Wolves – 12.02.2011
Arsenal vs Barcelona – 16.02.2011 (CL)
Leyton Orient vs Arsenal – 20.02.2011 (FA Cup)
Arsenal vs Stoke – 22.02.2011
Birmingham vs Arsenal 27.02.2011 (League Cup)
Arsenal vs Sunderland 05.03.2011
These games aren’t hard especially considering that we play most of them home and a Newcastle team without their top goal scorer as well. Also the derby got postponed because of the final so it works in our favour. However, take a look at Manchester United’s schedule.
Schedule:
Wolverhampton vs Manchester United – 5.02.2011
Manchester United vs Manchester City – 12.02.2011
Manchester United vs Crawley Town – 19.02.2011 (FA Cup)
Marseille vs Manchester United – 23.02.2011 (CL)
Wigan vs Manchester United – 26.02.2011
Chelsea vs Manchester United – 01.03.2011
Liverpool vs Manchster United – 06.03.2011
Manchester United have tough games against City, Liverpool and Chelsea and I expect them to drop points. Thus our performance this month is very important and we can’t lose players because of international FRIENDLIES, that’s just ridiculous, to risk our chances of silverware on a friendly, sometimes football just doesn’t make sense. When you add the friendly on the 9th to our schedule it shows you how hectic this month will be especially for our defenders. Plus with an injury to Song we can’t afford anything to happen to Diaby.
I may sound selfish but I really hope our players don’t play in that match……..
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As always , very good observation Adam Kemp… Me selfish too about this & would like Arsenal to sail thru these matches…
Really hope friendlies don’t come as a shocker- specially we have a history of some of our players getting knocked down in those matches…
This month would be crucial – not only for us at Arsenal but looking at the Man U, Chelsea & Man City fixtures – they all would have tough time…
Really wish Liverpool & Chelsea turn it on Man U & then they lose some points against Woves or Wigan ( i know it;s asking too much
)
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I agree completely, by far my biggest problem though is if one of the CB’s gets injured then we’re going to hear all that “OMG SACK WENGER I KNEW HE SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT 40 WORLD CLASS CB’S AT 50 MILLION EACH IN THE JANUARY WINDOW, WHY DOESN’T HE CARE ABOUT WHAT THE FANS WANT, NOW WE’RE SCREWED BAWWWWWW, WAHHHHH I WANT MY MOMMY!!!1″ crap over and over again.
The downside is even if we don’t get injuries, (fingers crossed) djourou, kozzer and a few others have played a hell of a lot recently and could use a rest. I’d much prefer they had that rest instead. Others such as Diaby, Ramsey, Bendnter and Chamakh could use some game time though.
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This isn’t adam kemp.
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Unless club managers report players are unfit, I’m afraid those in charge of national sides have little or no regard for club sides. They will select those they wish to play and the clubs will suffer the aftermath. Remember Van Persie and now Vermaelen? National sides need to get together but something other than friendlies at the height of the season must be devised.
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I tink is it rightful 2 release players 2 represent their countries but they were nt properly taking care wen they have injuries. Examples, wen RVP and Walcott got their own injury in d last season, it happen @ d crucial stage of d league and it deprive us of winning silver ware. I tink Wenger should knw d kind of player he would release @ dis crucial stage of d season. Bcz Koscielny, Clichy and Sagna re nt d type of players Wenger should release dis time. To Wenger, Obident is better than Sacrifice.
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I like this article.i think we should just try to win our EPL games..not even a draw..
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Seun, I don’t think it’s asking too much that you comment in English on the site. It’s just common courtesy.
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trouble is thiers far too many needless friendlies around, which no one even cares about, i’m sure fans at clubs all over europe would rather thier players were’t involved in these needles games.
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@bongo
You sound dumb, What’s your point. Are you making fun of the people that said we should be buying reinforcements on an article that says that we have too many games and our limited defense is being risked? That would be dumb as you also stated that we are at risk of losing the challenges because of the risk taken on some like kos who cannot/don not have replacements. Idiots like you who over exaggerate what cautious sensible fans are saying(buy cover for the overworked CBs).
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piss me off and are as bad as those VERY FEW fans asking for the 30 mill signings on a single player.
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Well I may be wrong but it means against wolves we could see a backline of Eboue – Djouro – Squillaci – Gibbs with Denilson in the holding roll. At home to wolves that should be enough. It would also mean Kosc, Clichy and Sagna would be rested before the Barca game.
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Almighty God wil b wit d Gunners nd protect them wit their title ambition. Amen
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God wil b wit d Gunners wit their title ambition
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Let Wenger prove himself,no need 4 argument.
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I WISH ALL OUR PLAYERS INJURY FREE, BOTH IN THE EPL AND SO CALLED FRIENDLY.GOD WILL ALWAYS BE ON OUR SIDE.
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may God forbid..it wo’t happen n we hope for a winning spree this month n next month coz this is where we know whether we leave trophies behind this season.
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I don’t always like this so-called international friendly. Friendly for what when we have so much important game to focus on.
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If Walcott is playing well would you want him to play for England? Jesus Christ. Sagna and Koscielny have both played well this season – and Clichy for the most part keeps Gibbs out of the LB role because of consistency. Do we not have reserves? Or has anyone here read why Wenger didn’t buy another CB? (Check the archive on arsenal.com – I read it there)
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