Morning all.
John Roberts passed away yesterday aged 69….
He was a railway fireman before taking up football and joined Arsenal from Northampton Town in April 1969 where he stayed for three years. During his time at the club, he helped Arsenal to win a league and FA Cup double in 1971.
Sad to hear of another Arsenal guy leaving this world.
According to reports in the newspapers this morning, plenty of the first team players are to have a rest as the FA Cup returns this weekend. If true, we should see a lot of changes to the team which faces Sunderland.
Calum Chambers, Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy, (if he’s staying) Gabriel, David Ospina, (if he’s staying) Joel Campbell, Alex Iwobi, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and a few other under 21’s players could be called upon. Isaac Hayden is reported to have returned to Arsenal half way through his Hull City loan so he might be in with a chance of starting but Serge Gnabry, who has also seen his loan cut short, is expected to head straight back out on loan in order to get some playing time.
Too many changes could be a risky though, especially against one of Big Sam’s teams, a team which Arsenal found difficult to break down in the league fixture just a few weeks ago. In fact that was another match in which Arsenal struggled to get going. A superb ball from Ozil through to Campbell broke the deadlock but when Ollie headed home Sunderland’s equaliser, one couldn’t help but think it was going to be ‘one of days’.
Ollie made amends for his error though in the second half by heading home in the right goal after a cross from Ramsey and then the Welshman made it 3-1 during the final minutes of the game.
A flattering score-line some might say on a day Petr Cech was again in fine form.
So should Arsene Wenger make wholesale changes as the report suggests, it could be that the FA Cup is the competition which will fall by the wayside as the manager goes all out to win the Premier League and with a trip to Anfield just four days later, it’s understandable that changes need to take place.
Sunderland should be a very different side too for this match as Big Sam is unimpressed with the fixture schedule and he’s been quoted as saying:
Of course I’m going to make changes for our Cup tie at Arsenal on Saturday. If the Premier League decides to put a stupid fixture midweek when they don’t bloody need to, then I haven’t got much choice.
It’s diabolical. We’re flogging the lads. There are more and more injuries every year but it’s completely ignored by the Premier League. It’s unbelievable. If you want us to respect the FA Cup, don’t put Premier League fixtures in the midweek just after new year. Don’t give me stick when I change the side at Arsenal. Give the Premier League stick, not the managers.
He’s got a point….
There’s more moaning from the big man HERE if you’re interested, it’s quite funny I thought. So much so I wondered if it’s a wind up…
Anyway, enough of my ramblings, who do you want to see line up against Sunderland on Saturday?
Sam has a bloody good point.
People suggesting the Spanish and German leagues (among others) are if higher quality really need to look at the workload placed on PL players.
More games, plus a much more physical 90 minutes every week adds up to suicide when playing the Giants from the continent.
Morning all.
I too think he makes a good point Scott.
Potter said around Christmas that the festive fixture list could be changed in order to take the vast amounts of travelling out of the game at such a busy time and I think that too makes good sense…
Rico, somethings needs to change.
When you hear of players playing upwards of 50, even 60 games in a year, it’s ludicrous.
They aren’t robots.
Nobody can perform at or near their top consistently with that workload.
Morning guys, would like to see jeff on the pitch this weekend with the mighty ozil rested
I know Scott, then add the stupid international friendlies into the equation too, it can’t be healthy. I guess that’s why we need a strong and deep squad to allow rotation without jeopardising the teams standard of play…
We have to change alot but many of our players are out injured. It will be tricky but Ozil, Koscielny, Giroud, Monreal and Walcott must sit this one out. Ramsey need a rest too but who can we trust with that position, Mertesacker needs a rest. Ospina in goal, debuchy, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs as the back four, cambers and Flamini as the double pivot, Oxlade-Chamberlain and adeliede on the wings, ramsey as the number 10 and Campbell leading the line. We manage to rest players and we can go through at the same time.
G14, pretty sure we won’t see Ozil.
The stupid fixtures is one of the reasons epl teams are so weak in Europe
And we wonder why performances often drop suddenly.
Yes, they are bloody well paid, but that doesn’t offer up all the incentive required to be 100% every week, IMO.
Never thought we’d be agreeing with Big Sam… 😉
Nor I lol
Hope your right rico because a fit and fresh ozil is so important if we are serious about winning the league this year
Have Arsenal been linked with Saloman Kalou yet?
🙂 Scott..
Not sure who Sam has in his reserves but by the sounds of it, Sunderland will be a very different side…
G14, I’d have thought AW is thinking more about the trip to Anfield for Ozil, and Alexis possibly…
Our squad players/under 21’s should hopefully be able to beat a Sunderland reserve team, it’s a good time to impress…
The right back is a concern though with Debuchy tipped to be leaving…
Morning Kev, not until deadline day….
Good read Rico,
Was that quote from Fat Sam? Unbelievable; There was me thinking, it was only foreign managers like AW who did not respect the importance of the FA cup and made changes to their starting XI? 🙂
Kev he’s having a medical as we speak!
Sure is Ts… Sam has changed his tune eh…
I agree rico, though I do think alexis will get some minutes this weekend under his belt, as for debuchy leaving well im against it as we aint got back up for hector as I feel chambers is better in cb position
Fight back from England on! 🙂
Allowing Debuchy to leave before the summer would seem odd to me, unless AW has someone on his way in. Chambers at right back doesn’t do it for me either G14.
The club should tell Debuchy he can leave at seasons end, no dramas, but for now, he stays.
But you just know Arsene will let him leave as he’s wants to play for France at the Euros…
Perhaps Sam might want to reduce the number of teams in the Prem to 18 as was originally planned or perhaps make the league cup purely for football league teams and leave the prem out all together.
Now that’s a good idea as he’d be gone. But only for a while….
Well if Kalou fails his medical it’s comforting to know that we have the option of recalling Yaya Sanogo…
I’d forgotten about him…. Thank gawd..
Catch up later….
Afternoon Rico and the House
Belated New year greetings to all the Happy Housers and to the not so happy ones WE Are Top of the league
Short visit The U21’s are about to kick off against Blackburn team is
Huddart Sheaf Plegi Bielik Robinson Iwobo ARTETA Crowley Jeff Willock Malan
Very talented side looking for a good win
Latta
Good furphy lovelies and hunkies.
Imo fatso should not be trusted. he knows that AFC players are more in need of rest than the sunderland ones. We have the CL. He has the EPL safety and FAcup only.
So imo its all mind games to throw AW off guard and play a weak side.
I would still play certain players.
I would go with ……
Cech
Bellerin, Per, Gabriel, Gibbs
Chambers, Elneny??
Cambell, Aaron, Ox
Ollie
http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1516/post/under-21/u-21s-arsenal-3-2-blackburn-report
Looks like Wenger is preparing Arteta for the weekend vs Sunderland…
Chambers & Arteta sitting in front of the back-four?
The Jeff might be in for a start as well this weekend?
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35234602
Arteta it is…
Alex Iwobi was all stripped off ready to come on against Newcastle until Kozzer popped up with the winner the weekend, was promptly told to sit down again and replaced with Gibbs who came on to shore up things for the last 10-15 minutes, both could start Saturday, don’t expect Giroud to be anywhere near the 1st team myself.
Ospina to start in goal, no many keepers in world football are brave enough or should I say daft enough to wear the number 13 on their backs, must have big balls if you ask me.
Wonder if he’s coming to Arsenal or going to City Kev…
Micko, rumour is, Ospina has big feet so it’s possible…
Evening guys..
Aubameyang missed training today so he’s heading to Arsenal….
Or he’s having a rest perhaps… Lol
Hi rico, keep up, we’ve switched from Aubameyang to Troy Deen all within the space of 24 hours, it’s great being a Gooner !
Hiya Micko, silly me, I forgot the £20m man heading our way…
Yep, that’s the premiership, signed, sealed and delivered right there !
Ha Micko.. Thank goodness it’s all just back page tripe…
Pep is coming to Arsenal after Wenger lifts the PL this season aided by boomerang’s goals…..100% nailed Kev told me!
I have to upgrade my sky package to view Lee… 🙁
Atkinson for Saturday’s match will be fun ?
Deep joy Joe… Can’t believe he’s deemed good enough for the Euros in the summer… All eyes will be on him…
Night guys and gals….
evening all!
No new signs yet.
I’m concern to Saturday
Joy unconfined Rico
Trust me, Guardiola is coming to Arsenal…
A bloke who drives a Beamer told me…
Looks like Stoke are not enjoying playing on a wet cold night in Stoke.
Adam, that’ll be pedal to the metal via the autobahn, you know it makes sense mate !
Hopefully tomorrow will be the day we robbed Basel of a living legend lol.
Nite Gooners, keep it real.
Morning All
Morning Rico.
6 days into the transfer window and where is all the business?
Not just for Arsenal, but everyone…
I wonder if inflated prices are the reason?
Yes the EPL is getting richer but it was a commonly held view that English clubs in particular, were being asked exorbitant transfer fees last summer. And no doubt exorbitant wages and agent fees as well…
Could be morè and more EPL clubs will copy Arsenal and do their business late in the window, in order to reduce fees etc.
Morning Rico, Kev, and The House.
Maybe this news from Metro is a 90% certain Kev, even though coming from “Metro”.
http://metro.co.uk/2016/01/06/mohamed-elneny-teammate-albian-ajeti-confirms-arsenal-transfer-is-completed-5603602/
One coming and two perhaps? Aubameyang please.
Great news about the three hamstring injuries to the Micky Mousers last night!!!
Morning Kev, Orf, Lee and all…
Very good news re the Dipper injuries….
Yeah Lee.
That news certainly make our chances to beat Liverpool next league much higher.
But we never know, what will come with the end result be. It’s such a turmoil league to predict this season.
Fingers crossed Shitty pick a few up tonight too……
Aguero and Toure… 🙂
Morning all.
Morning Rico, Scott and all
Morning Rico and all.
Brudder.
Brudder.
Morning Ts, Scott and Adam.
What a difference a bit of cloud cover makes….
New post up now…