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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Arsenal B side for Steaua


By 1970's Gooner

After the last two abject performances in the Champions League against Slavia Prague (draw) and Sevilla (defeat) Arsenal find themselves in second place in group H behind Seville.

Qualification is guaranteed but Arsenal can finish top of the group if they defeat Steaua and Sevilla fail to beat Slavia in Prague.

Finishing first in the group has certain important advantages of course. You get drawn against a second placed team from another group and get to play the first game in this two legged knock out phase, away.

However there are two major reasons why Arsene Wenger may consider fielding an Arsenal B side for the game against Steaua Bucharest at the Emirates.

The first concerns the current state of injuries in the club which have deprived the team of very important players like Van Persie, Fabregas, Hleb and Flamini. What you do not want is to risk further long term injuries to any “first team” player such as Van Persie.


Can you imagine if Toure or Gallas was in the starting eleven against Steaua and subsequently got injured? Or even if the same happened to Clichy?

Any more injuries will severely overstretch an already thin squad to the full. And you cannot risk having any more long term absentees with the crucial run of games during the Xmas period and beyond.

Arsene Wenger himself admitted that he rued playing Fabregas in Spain.

"I should not even have played Fabregas at Sevilla. I ended up losing him to injury.”

This is where Fabregas picked his hamstring injury which has kept him away from the recent run of away games where Arsenal dropped points. It will also keep him out of the Chelsea game.

The second reason of course is the forthcoming game against Chelsea on Sunday. The draw at Newcastle and defeat at Middlesbrough last Sunday has removed the buffer that Arsenal had over its immediate rivals.

A further slip up against Chelsea means that not only will the remaining point lead is likely to evaporate but more importantly the psychological impact will be so bad and morale will sink to such low levels that the whole campaign could be badly derailed.

So it is imperative that no more unnecessary risks are taken and that no more players are missing against Chelsea even if it means running the risk of not finishing top of the group.

So let’s give some deserved rest to as many players as we can and give the fringe players a chance to show what they can do. Arsene Wenger has said that it will be no Carling Cup side. Well it may be an Arsenal B side instead.


Lehmann

Hoyte Song Senderos Traore

Walcott Diaby Gilberto Denilson

Eduardo Bendtner

Bench: Fabiansky, Van Persie, Eboue, Diarra, Sagna

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

in the champions league you get to have an option of 7 subs mate! u try an predict the starting 11 but you dont even know the rules of the compettion!

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with 70s. We need to rest the entire team and play the rest of the sqaud. We cannot take any more chances. Wenger talks about a balancing act for the steaua game but I say it does not matter if we dont finish top of the group. What matters is defeating Chelsea and having important players fit for the rest of the games.

Anonymous said...

Foeget about steaua lets concentrate on chelsea. Play Van Persie for 15 minutes to get him a run around and prepare him for chelsea.

If we get a win against chelsea we are back on track again.

Anonymous said...

Why do bloggers put Denilson on the left instead of Diaby? It is just a show up to be honest.

Anonymous said...

I disagree with Goofle Diaby's position should be in the middle of midfield not wasted on the wide areas.

Anonymous said...

I dont agree resting all key players, first of all, that match is home, arsenal need rehabilitation, for team play and even for fans. resting all players is almost the same to have players injured (unplayable), team needs to train and restore passing and sciring. and that match is even about arsenes reputation, lose against sevilia, finish against slavia and now lose against steaua again, it will be big humiliate of wenger's reputation.

i think wenger should rest players, wich are unchangable. like flamini, we need him very much at chelsea.
adebaior (not persie, i think he should restore his form)
toure, he is very tired, he played every minute if am correct.
diarra, he will start against chelsea so he needs resting.
and Rosicky, he will be only one creatively midfielder.

Anonymous said...

I see what you are saying gio but can we afford any more injuries? would you play gallas or toure for example?

Anonymous said...

Of course we dont need any more injuris but, you know if we have bit strong starting 11,we will beat easy them, if we rest everyone it will be very hard match and than will thay get injurys. Remember thay gets injured when the squad isnt strong.

Anonymous said...

i also agree with all the family who think we should rest the whole 1st, i would advocate, lehman, hoyte, troare, song, gilberto, denilson, merida, barazit, gibbs, bendtner, walcot. ive watched those reserve team players(barazite, gibbs, merida-"who by the way combines very well with denilson" and boy, they are ready for the 1st team. this with a bench of fabianski, senderos, diaby, diarra, eduardo, rvp, eboue. and lets preserve our main men and prepare adequately for a WAR on sunday

Anonymous said...

I agree with gmp lets prepare for the big battle on Sunday. Win then and the title is ours I am sure!

Anonymous said...

I think Diaby will be a key player in te coming games and rightly he should start against Steaua to get fit for the Chelsea game.

Anonymous said...

I think we almost all agree that the B team should play. More to the point, should RVP and Flamini play?

Anonymous said...

Arsenal need a confidence boost; play a decent team, win, and take the momentum into the Chelsea game.

Anonymous said...

To freewebs

I think the sensible thing to do will be to rest Flamini and give RVP a run around in the last 15 minutes or so to get him match reday for Sunday.

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