Silvestre to replace Gibbs against Sunderland?
With Arsene Wenger waiting for the bad news regarding the extent of Kieran Gibbs injury, it seems certain that Mikael Silvestre, who has only played twice for the Arsenal first team this season, will be entrusted with covering for Gibbs.
Wenger is more likely to pluck for experience over the youthful Armand Traore for such an important game, but It is possible that Traore may get a couple of chances in such a busy period.
Wenger said last month about Traore: “He can be a big surprise because he has improved a lot,”
“Technically, tactically, and mentally he is a lot more mature.”
“He does not get his chance at the moment because he’s a left-back,”
“We have Clichy, we have Gibbs, and we have Traore, so it’s very difficult for him to get a chance.
“But I use him as well now in left-midfield because he has huge power and pace, a good cross, and he’s a finisher as well.”
From that i would imagine Wenger is more likely to use him in a game where Arsenal will be expected to do more attacking. This game at Sunderland is a potential Banana skin for Arsenal as they try to keep the pressure on Chelsea ahead of next weeks derby. Under Steve Bruce this season they have played some good games this season, and have won four of their six games at home.
Silvestre himself admitted that it won’t be easy for Arsenal: “They are doing really well and I think Steve Bruce made a fantastic job over there,” he said.
“They have a good crowd too and it is a good test for us. It is going to be after an international break so it won’t be easy. The atmosphere is going to be really hot and hard for us so we have to make sure we don’t concede a goal, control the game, and then we will find a way to score.
“Sunderland are proof that the Premier League is more competitive now. That’s why it is one of the most attractive leagues in the world. You don’t see much of a difference between the teams who are first, second and third in the league and the ones that are 10th, 11th or 12th. ”
It has the makings of a cracking match at the Stadium of light this weekend.
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Against sunderland game on sartuday must be a win. Our team is always solid now.
Interesting challenge for Wenger on saturday. Traore can attack well,I am not sure about how good his defending is.
Who ever plays in the left midfield role will have to be aware of their defensive duties. Traore ofcourse will be making lots of overlapping runs if he were to play. Traore has plenty of pace too. potentially we will be more susceptible to counter attacks if he plays and we will cause them problems with his attacking threat too.
Having a solid defensive player like Silvestre means no pace on the left so Silvestre would probably want to be hanging back and not make overlapping runs due to his lack of pace. In which case, if we have silvestre playing left back, perhaps we would have to attack more on the right flank. i particularly like how sagna has been playing lately so would prefer him over eboue and he is a very solid right back.
almunia
sagna gallas vermaelen silvestre
song
fabregas diaby
Nasri Arshavin
Eduardo
without paying too much attention to which variation of 4:3:3 is actually used as it is so fluid!