With the forthcoming draw for the Europa League/UEFA Cup on the horizon and all it brings in terms of the added fixture congestion with Spursday/Sunday/Monday games to come, there has been some concern and even nervousness among some fans about how our squad can cope.
For those of you out there who can remember the 1979/80 season, it’s worth recalling the effects of four titanic FA Cup Semi-finals with Liverpool and the two massive Cup Winners Cup Semi-finals with Juventus all squeezed into April and May of that season, with absolutely no help from the FA and Football League.
It therefore came as no surprise when the Arsenal players, in an age of only one substitute, ran out of legs in their two cup finals of that season vs West Ham and Valencia. That season remains the most disappointing I’ve ever felt as an Arsenal fan, the journey back from Brussels was like a funeral.
So nobody needs to tell me what is required to succeed in multiple competitions and the care that the management needs to take of the players.
Having a squad capable of coping is vital and that should be obvious to any manager. You cannot cut corners or take risks if you as a manager, are serious in competing for a league championship and a European trophy. Risk taking, as we have seen from Arsene before, and penny pinching, almost always results in ultimate failure and excuses.
The time for excuses has run out!
So if there are to be several departures from the senior squad as seems likely this summer, then the coaching staff must be certain that the youngsters stepping up are of the required quality to fill the gaps, otherwise funds must be spent on adequate replacements.
Secondly the medical and fitness staff have to up their game, new faces in this department will hopefully see less unnecessary injuries and enable players to recover properly whilst avoiding absences brought on by poor preparation and being over played, therefore lessening the need for a bloated squad.
Sensible rotation by the manager, thoughtful substitutions and training methods catering for the players’ different requirements over a long gruelling season are essential. Look after your playing staff like AC Milan for example and we won’t have so many fatigue related injuries.
Using the shadow squad in the earlier rounds of the UEFA Cup will protect many of our main players from pointless over exertion and keep them fresh for the EPL. This can be done depending on the opposition with a mixture of youth and experience and without draining the EPL squad if Arsene uses his imagination and trusts all of his players.
Obviously there will be comings and goings before the season begins, but this is my guess at how Arsene can rotate things in the early months of the season:
Premier League Squad:
Cech. Martinez/Macey.
Bellerin. Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Kolasavic. Monreal.
Mustafi. Chambers.
Koscielny. Mertesaker.
Monreal/Holding. Holding/Paulista.
Ramsey. Elneny.
Xhaka. Coquelin.
Alexis. Giroud.
Ozil. Wilshere.
Welbeck. Iwobi.
UEFA Cup squad:
Elneny. Walcott.
Paulista. Reine-Adelaide.
Wilshere. Maitland-Niles.
Giroud. Welbeck.
Walcott. Cohen Bramhall.
Oxlade-Chamberlain. Reiss Nelson.
Mertesaker. Ben Sheaf.
Iwobi. Edward Ntekiah.
Cazorla. Santiago Cazorla.
Of course transfer business could see changes but we have a strong squad and if it’s used to its full potential then I don’t see the doom and gloom predicted.
Talking of which, on the gossip front it seems Arsenal might be busy this week, if of course all these stories are true. Not only are we reported to have finally agreed a fee for Alexandre Lacazette and the Frenchman will be heading to London in the next couple of days for his medical. Joining him will be Riyad Mahrez, another player we have by all accounts agreed a deal for.
And if that wasnt enough to get you all exited then Portuguese newspaper A Bola have published a headline this morning which suggests that we are not only after one player from Sporting CP, but two. Yes, it’s that man William Carvalho yet again and winger/right back, Gelson Martins. The latter has been linked to a number of PL clubs.
Just think if it’s true, we could have four players signed in a week and job done…..
By AllezKev.
Morning all.
Good post Kev. You make it all sound so easy which is perhaps because it is, but we are talking AW here. We know he likes to overplay certain players, pick them regardless of how they are playing etc etc. I don’t think the French can have a word for rotate…. lol
Morning all and thanks Adonis Kev for pumping out an intelligent post……………not that Rico doesn`t ! 🙂 …………………………….. agree with with your thoughts on rotation, but have to also agree with Rico that we`re talkig Arsene here !…………………….he doesn`t do common sense !
There is a french word for rotate, Rico, ……………………….(there`s plenty actually depending on the use)……………Faire Tourner !…………which ironically sounds like a fast Wing Back from Lille…….sign him up ! 🙂
Thomas, just call me doubting Thomas!
If your predictions are spot on Kev I’ll eat my hat (if I’d got one) after dipping it in toilet water! It’s is more likely that the world will start spinning in the opposite direction than Wenger and his team of transfer technicians will get more than one deal done in a week, but 4 not possible, not likely and not happening, imo.
Good article Kev, if only a little over exaggerated on the players in front. I’d love to think you’d called it, spot on but, it ain’t going to happen, is it?
Laxative, (he’s shit hot, you know) is hurrying to the Ems to sign on the dotted line, so they say. As for the rest I’m not holding my breath.
A bit overcast here and a few degrees cooler than yesterday.
Morning all
Same weather here, Wavy !……………………………what part of the woods are you camping in then ?.
Lc, how many times have we said we thought the squad was capable of winning the league? Certainly the last two years imo but he makes strange decisions on team selection. And I know it’s been said before but Perez? Elneny? What have they done wrong to not play ahead of others in the squad… odd!
Same here Wavy, but over the Emirates there’s a storm brewing. Should break early August… lol
Hahaha Rico, you are more of an optimist than me, as I cant remember the last time I thought we had a squad good enough to win the league !……………….probably 2004 ! 🙂
Certainly not the season we only bought Cech and not an outfield player ! 🙂
Although you are right imo that last season we had a decent squad that should have competed, but that went tits up after the first two games with players missing on holiday and the early loss of Santi !………………….imo you cant have enough strength in depth, the more the better and more chance of competing !
I love the satire on JOE……………….” First up we have Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, who this week is expected to complete a record transfer to Arsenal.
The North London club are reported to be negotiating a deal close to £50 million for the French international, who has already spoken with excitement of his inevitable move to Manchester City in two or three years time.
The 26-year-old, who has 11 caps for France, has admitted that he cannot wait to get his 24 months at Arsenal over and done with before excelling at Pep Guardiola’s side.
“It’s very exciting for me. Having a manager like Arsene Wenger sign me shows I am doing something right, and it is a real honour to get the chance to use this great club as a stepping stone to a team that can actually win the league.”
Morning all, great post Key…. Can’t stop myself from dreaming guys, Sanchez -Lacazette -Mbappe ???
“Sanchez -Lacazette -Mbappe”………………………………..I might for the first time in years think we could maybe win the league !……………………………….are you still dreaming Bondex ?……….can I join you or will it have to be later in bed ?…………………………no hank panky though !
😆
The squad has always looked pretty good on papay. The team always do well until at a point when they fall like a pack of cards. The solution does not just lie on the quality of players but also has to do with the mental strength of the players as a unit which was partly what cost Arsena; top 4 finish last season. AW must work on this aspect, not just buy Mbappe, Alexandre Lacazette or whovever.
If that wasn’t so close to the truth Lc, it’d be funny… lol
Mbappe? It sounds a bit like a small bread roll! ?
If we signed him he too would be serving his apprenticeship prior to joining oily citeh or real marsdrid.
LC not in Cornwall!!!!!
I’m looking for the merry men dressed in Lincoln Green! (A clue!)
I see………..Sherwood Forrest then ! ………………………………I see the Arsenal connection as it`s a well known fact that Will Scarlett gave Arsenal their first shirts !………………..or was it the colour of them ?……….it`s a fact though ! 🙂
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Kev – Another good article. Has Rico put you on a retainer?
I’m fairly sure that the club will sign Lacazette this week, but the Mahrez stories seem to be a ploy from his Mr. 20%. That is not to say that Arsene isn’t interested in him, but I think he has higher priorities. Who really states that he is tired of waiting for Barcelona to sign him before the Transfer Window is even officially open. Smacks a little of desperation to me.
As for all the others, I’m not holding my breath and I’ll wait until I see the news, if any, posted on Arsenal.com. However, it is refreshing to see that the club is trying to make their major signings before preseason training commences, rather than waiting until the eleventh hour of the final day of the window.
Morning Cg. I have, Kev and Adam… 🙂
I reckon we’ll get Mahrez because no-one else seems to want him… lol
Rico – We may well sign Mahrez, but he doesn’t seem to be anyone’s priority at the moment. He strikes me as an alternate, if we fail to sign our primaries like Lemar.
Lol@LC….please join me in my dream, I saw someone sneak his soul and mind into AW’s body and the revolution started from there…. Sanchez-Lacazette-Mbappe…. Paying for this dream though would be really expensive
Time will tell I guess Cg… Who knows what is going through AW’s mind. If anything… lol
afternoon all
Sanchez, Bellerin and OX leave Arsenal
There are more
We’re all doomed
Premier League; Cech, Bellerin, Kolasavic, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Xhaka, Alexis, Ozil, Welbeck.
Subs from; Elneny, Paulista, Wilshere, Giroud, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mertesaker, Iwobi, Cazorla
Three of those could be gone though Kev… Afternoon to you..
UEFA Cup; Martinez/Macey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Monreal, Chambers, Mertesaker, Holding, Elneny, Coquelin, Giroud, Wilshere, Iwobi
Subs from; Walcott, Cazorla, Jeff, Maitland-Niles, Bramhall, Nelson, Sheaf, Ntekiah, Carzorla, Perez (?)
Afternoon Rico, sorry I didn’t lay it out better, I must do better in future, Adam will be incandescent…. ?
Afternoon All…
Yeah I know Rico, there’s going to be lots of goings and comings, or comings and goings!
A few who we think might be leaving, may stay and vica versa.
But the gist is despite the doomers, I think we have a squad capable of dealing with all competitions if Wenger rotates and the medical team up their game.
🙂 Kev, I understood it…
A big If in there though…
Rico, if Wenger doesn’t rotate, as you suspect and I can’t disagree, I guess I’m just whistling in the wind. Anyway if he fcuks up, he’s out next summer I reckon.
Cocker, glad you enjoyed it, I wrote it as I was doing a marathon, followed by cycling to John O’Groats, then bench pressing a haggis… ?
Wavy, I’ve got a hat you can nibble on… ?
Lacazette isn’t Mbappe for sure, the expectations will be a lot lower, in a way that should help him.
Best you fine tune your whistle Kev… 😉
CG/Rico, if Oxlade-Chamberlain leaves then Wenger might bring in Mahrez, that’s if he hadn’t gone elsewhere by then…
Rico… ?
Cocker, regarding Man City, they’ve not won the league since 2014, so I ain’t sure about the assertions made on JOE.
I guess you’d to say that Guardiola is obviously more of a favourite for the title than Wenger, but we’ve yet to see the benefit to Arsenal, if any, of our absence from the Champions League.
Kev, or the guy from Sporting perhaps?
I was smiling the other day when it was confirmed Sagna was leaving City. I bet he’s really glad he went there. After all, he’d have never had won the league cup otherwise… 😉
Hahaha Kev`………………………….I can see that being a new alternative Olympic triathlon !
Yes, will be an interesting TW followed by an interesting new campaign which if Arsene plays it right in the EL…….we may compete for the league once again !…………………….be prepared to be disappointed again though !………………………I`d rather put some dosh on you winning Gold in the Sweaty Sock Haggis Trathlon in Tokyo as your preperation is amazingly unbelievable ! ………………………yes !, I dont believe it !
😆
I tell you what is unbelievable !………………………………………..the BBC Weather !……………..I shall go out and cut the grass now even though it`s supposed to be raining !………them robbing bastards of Sherwood Forrest have probably nicked the rain !. 🙂
Yeah Rico, that was amazing, I didn’t realise how little success Man City have had for the last 3 seasons, wonder why the Press don’t dig them out?
LC, the story goes:
Will Scarlett stole the cloth from the darstadly Sherrif of Snottingham and, turned it into a shirt. He wore it for years then, when on a raid in Snotty he threw it away near the old tavern called Ye Trente Bridge Inn, which as you know is opposite the City Ground. A Victorian soccer player found the musty old cloth and it well! So much so he thought the Forest team should wear red on Saturdays when playing ye olde footybally. Meanwhile down in the armoury factory in Woolwich the killer providers were short of eleven shirts of the same colour so, having bethought themselves they appealed to the FA for shirts. Needless to say the FA offered them F all! The good folk at Snottingham Forest took pity on the Arsenal Saturday players and sent them a set of their old will Scarlett coloured shirts. And all the rest is history! And I’m still doing missionary work up here trying to civilise the untamed sherwood marauders!
For further interesting tid bits go to ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ by Johnny Bunyan. He has an interesting take on how f a came to the FA!
Laxative, Mbappe and Sanchez as our starting line up? What have you been smoking,Bondex? Certainly not Virginia dark shag, that’s for sure!? But as I said the other day, I wish! Well, we all wish!
Supposed to be sunny here, now. It isn’t, it’s grey. I think it’s a BBC weather plot. The government have told them to big up the weather prospects because………………???
Corrections.
‘And thought it well’.
They’d rather focus on us Kev. What have Totts or Liverpool won too, nothing!
West ham in talks for Javier Hernandez, he’ll be a good signing for them if he goes there….
Very true Rico…
Tottenham have won pretty much zilch since about 1991, but the media love them and when they finished above Arsenal for about the first time since Gladstone was PM, it was made into a major success almost as if they’d won something and Liverpool, well, no league title since 1990 and only the luckiest of lucky Champions League wins to talk about since, but anyone would think they’d been neck and neck with ManUre and Chelsea for the last 25 years rather than fighting it out with Everton for a place in europe…
Would you like Hernandez at Arsenal Rico?
Exactly Kev, they must just dislike Wenger..
I wouldn’t be unhappy if he came to Arsenal, a real poacher…
Hernandez would be a great option to have off the bench.
Or starting in certain fixtures…
Hi Rico
SSN reporting we are in talks with jens lehmann to join the coaching staff
Why wasn’t this done 5 years ago
Hi Mg, good…
Mad Jens Lehmann !…………..he`s not called Mad for nothing, but is he as nuts as Big Tone ?…………………
Le Coq……..both are not as nuts as you. 🙂
LC king of nuts?…..hello everyone. No unveiling yet?
I knew there was something Lc. Have you been diagnosed? ?
Bobby sounds just like Wenger….
https://www.arsenal.com/news/i-believe-team-and-squad
Everton have signed Keane. They could be a strong team next season…
Ambitious manager + ambitious owner Rico…
Yeah, Everton could be a major threat next season, we’d better not sell Giroud to them.
Agree Kev, we could have been like that had Usmanov got the shares….
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11671/10935561/everton-confirm-sandro-ramirez-signing-from-malaga-on-four-year-deal
And another one joins Everton!
Exactly Rico, it’s interesting now comparing the ambitions of both ownerships.
Koeman really isn’t messing around….
Isn’t it just Kev, talk about getting the short straw eh…
I’m offski, night Kev, all..
Night Rico…
Self diagnostic check reveals it, Rico !………nuts is good ! hahaha
Morning all..
Morning all.
Bad rumours Santi will not be back `till April at the earliest !……….last photo 3 days ago had him on crutches ! 🙁
That’s not good news Lc…
New post up now.