Ready to raid Lyon? Why does Arsene ‘make do’?

Morning all.

When Danny Welbeck is fit, it’s easy. Same when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is fit but when both of those players are missing, why does Arsene Wenger simply make do?

Since neither have been available, we’ve seen Aaron Ramsey play out on the right and then on Wednesday, Jack Wilshere was thrown out there.

Why?

Theo Walcott is fit, Serge Gnabry is fit having played a number of games for the under 21’s and both are far more suited to that role, far more suited. Yet there we were on Wednesday, up against a side who can be described as nothing other than one of the worst footballing sides in the Premier League, yet neither were chosen over a left-footed central midfielder.

Most of us here and probably all over the Arsenal fan forums continually talk about pace, width and our serious lack of both yet with both the pre-mentioned players being available, they are not being used. And let’s not forget, one is an England international who no matter what, just won’t get a start under Arsene Wenger.

Ah, contractual issues! Well blow those, what’s more important than Theo Walcott’s contract right now is Arsenal FC and as much as Walcott might not be everyones cup of tea, he offers more going forward than Jack Wilshere or Aaron Ramsey does from the right-hand side. In my opinion of course!

But of course, he seldom tracks back to help his team-mates out does he?

Well did Jack Wilshere? I don’t think so and it’s hardly surprising really. He’s a left footed player so instinct for him would be to receive the ball and cut in towards the middle as he’s hardly likely to try and run at the opposition left back and cross with his right foot is he? Does he even have a right foot…. Lol

Similar could be said about Alexis being played out on the left really but to be fair, he’s so good he makes it work although of late, things haven’t always gone as well.

So if both are to play, why not swap sides?

I’m not knocking Ramsey or Wilshere nor Alexis but why not just play our players where they perform best and then Arsenal will benefit and we all know The team play better with Ramsey in the middle, the same with Jack as showed when he came on against Swansea.

I know not every player can fit in to the starting eleven every game but that’s the manager’s job isn’t it, to pick the right eleven for each match depending upon who we are playing and when a club comes to The Emirates with only one game plan, having central midfielders, who aren’t the quickest, playing out wide in our front three, we will always struggle to break them down.

Swansea did just that, Sunderland watched, learned and on one of their own players admission, followed suit and both got reward from doing so..

West Brom will probably do something similar so I just hope that Arsene Wenger stops trying to make square pegs fit into round holes and instead, does something he hasn’t done for a while. Start Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky because both of those players give us something different, one gives us pace and width on the right, the other just gives us something so special and it seems he’s staying for another season.

Yes, that may might mean Ozil, Sanchez, Wilshere or Cazorla might have to sit on the bench but so what. We have a squad for a reason and this season, perhaps it should have been used a bit more…..

Gossip today relates to French club Lyon and the back pages have a story suggesting Arsene Wenger is ready to make a bid for both Nabil Fekir and Alexandre Lacazette.

Well the sun is shining I guess..

Happy Saturday guys, enjoy your day….

95 thoughts on “Ready to raid Lyon? Why does Arsene ‘make do’?

  1. John Gee says:

    I also did not agree with team selection but the reality was that the opposing goalkeepers both had the games of their live!! I think over the two games Arsenal had something like 50 attempts on goal without success so not too much wrong with chance creation more a matter of some players, who have scored most of the goals this season going off the boil. Don’ panic, they will be back !!!

    John Gee

  2. silentstan says:

    dumb article from someone who thinks he knows better. Gnabry only just back from injury, played for res’ 48 hours earlier but you want to over work him. ozil and caz been our best players for 3 months, but want to drop them. give it a rest

  3. rico says:

    SS, it’s an opinion re rotation and usage of or players, is here really a need to label me dumb for having an opinion?

    Perhaps you should do as your name suggests and that’s to stay silent, certainly here if you chose to be insulting!

  4. Marinello says:

    Hi Rico,
    Interesting take on things.
    So often when Arsenal play defensive teams they struggle to break through the wall of midfielders and defenders and appear to attack and play through the middle. With pacey wingers and using width, it forces the opposing defenders to have to turn and not be as comfortable as when the ball is coming straight at them down the middle.
    Both opposition keepers in last 2 games had blinders but, saying that, lots of the shots were straight at them.
    I would like to see Rosicky used a bit more in matches. He is a tricky and canny player who has the ability to open up defensive teams.
    Let’s home all comes good against WBA and we are in a good place for the final next week.

  5. Micko says:

    Morning rico,

    Wonder if we’ll see the Lesser Spotted Diaby make a final appearance tomorrow.

    Ozil and Cazorla may have been 2 of our best players over the last 3 months but they’ve also been 2 of the most static over the last 3 games as well, time to ring the changes and rest a few bones, it’s all about the Cup Final now.

  6. Marinello says:

    I agree Micko. After all what’s the point in having a squad of players if you do not rotate.
    One thing I find a tad strange, Giroud for some reason has this annoying trait where quite a few times at the height of games, he comes out wide, but should be in the box….then when he crosses into the box, there are no players in there.. Why?

  7. rico says:

    Morning Marinello, Micko & Scott…

    What amazes me is how so many think rotation is dropping players..

    Agree Micko, they look knackered, as does Alexis

    Exactly Marinello…

  8. scottfromoz says:

    Marinello, maybe he gets frustrated at the lack of crosses when he’s actually in perfect position lol
    For all his deficiencies, and there were plenty we’ve had one superb crosser in the last few seasons……Santos.

  9. Sean says:

    Arsenal are not far away from having a great squad and tbh we have a potentially title winning team already within our ranks with a few signings in and dead wood out. Yes we have went off the boil but tbh who can blame the players, im sure their minds are on the final since we already were guaranteed champions league football only needing a few points from 5games for automatic qualification. Now realistically we are going to sign at least 3 big game players this summer and the positions and the positions is ST, CDM, CB. Now 3 possible targets is Jackson Martinez (good price, great striker) Holding Role has 3 options in Vidal, Morgan, Kongbognia. My personal potentially great home grown CB n loan chambers on a season long loan to a prem team bdw to make space is John Stones from Everton. If any of those players are signed and release flamini n diaby. Sell Arteta, Poldi, Campbell. Sign Theo to a new deal where he n ox can fight it out for RW n Gnabry can learn under n cover Alexis (as he will play most of season) wages also are freed up from releases, sales and loans. If any left defo scrape another 10m and get another GK.

  10. Sean says:

    Then we will have a squad of.

    Gk.. Ospina, scez, (Cech maybe if 10m free)
    Rb.. Debuchy, Bellerin, Jenkinson
    Lb.. Gibbs, Monreal (gabriel can play ther also)
    Cb.. Boss, Gabby, Per, STONES
    Hm.. Coq, Arteta, (one of 3 mentioned)
    B2B.. Wilshere, Ramsey, (one of 3again)
    AM.. Cazorla, Ozil
    RW.. Theo, Ox
    LW.. Alexis, Gnabry
    ST… Giroud, Jackson

    WELBECK… Utility front man plays all 3 pos.
    ROSICKY…. Ultimate super mid sup

  11. Micko says:

    Jenk’s also liked a cross as well Scott !

    Expecting a very open game tomorrow, 2-2 draw, gotta break our duck sooner or later !

  12. rico says:

    Welcome Sean. We are certainly better squad wise than we have been for a few seasons, but we still lack 2/3 players imo.. Hopefully the summer will bring them in…

  13. bondex says:

    Hello guys been a while…long while that is. Would leave out all the forward players and make only one change in the defence I.e Per for Gab and see how that goes.

  14. Marinello says:

    Whats happening with regards Diaby? He should be in the Guiness book of records for earning a fortune from being a Professional footballer but never playing…
    To be fair, he has sustained some terrible injuries in his career, if he hadn’t done,
    I reckon he might have been another Vierra like player.
    Anyone going to the screening next week at the Emirates of the final?

  15. bondex says:

    Looking forward to next season I think all the players like flaming, arteta,diaby,podolski sir no goal should be allowed to leave or sold to give room for better players.

  16. Wavy says:

    I’m not sure Diaby will complete the lap of honour! They have reserved him a motorbility cart to get him round. A real shame for him and the team I think he could have been as good as Wenger suggested, a world class player, but Dan Smith saw to him, didn’t he! Kelly Smith has a case when referring to her recent assault! Mind you I think Dan the killer man is stacking shelves at pound land. You reap what you sow!

  17. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Shame on you Rico. you had us all believe that you were a first class lady and it took Silent Stan a few minutes to figure out that you are a guy.

    Such dumb ass holes we are. 😉 lol

    Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Nice post Rico…..whatever Loudmouth SPAN might say.

    Incidentally, a blog has suggested that Danny is one of the worst buys of the season. Really??? just look at how long has he been missing to see how long we have been misfiring as well. Imo, had DW23 been present for the last three games we would have scored more than 1 goal and got more points.

    Loudmouth Span…..have you been looking through your hairy ass????

  18. Marinello says:

    Allegedly, Diaby had a Stannah chair lift fitted to his stairs 3 seasons ago, and he has one of them baths with a door, complete with Thora Hird sitting inside it.
    If only Aresene knew.

  19. eduardo says:

    in Germany Dortmund have missed out on Europa league and Hamburg are in a relegation play off

  20. potter says:

    Don’t know Drake , Wenger has 2 seasons left on his contract and he is trying for one last shot of the title . One thing has been proven this term , he needs goals and if he can get them this way I am sure that he might consider it.
    His problem with age 30 players seems to be a thing of the past.

  21. `Rick says:

    Evening Rico and the House.
    I gather there is a chance that both Chuba and Serge could be on the bench tomorrow.
    Good day for our acadamy
    U19’s won 1-0 Iwobi the scorer’
    U16’sBeat Servette 2-1 ,Marseille 3-1 and drew with Ath Mardrid 0-0
    They top the group and play Milan ( Ithink) in the semi final tomorrow.
    I hear the Arsenal scouts are out in force there.

  22. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Evening Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Just saw this on the web………..Since David Ospina replaced Wojciech Szczesny after the New Year’s Day defeat to Southampton, Arsenal have conceded just 0.59 goals per game, as opposed to 1.24 before

    Had we played like that from the beginning of the season we would have conceded just 23 goals this season.

    And still……some want Ospina replaced. lol

  23. Vonnie says:

    Hi Everyone. I agree Devil, I don’t understand what David Ospina has to do to impress some people. I would like him to play in the FA Cup final, as I don’t trust Szczesny. It will be interesting to see what Arsene does.

  24. potter says:

    In time I believe that Martinez will be the number 1 . For the moment we really don’t need to splurge cash on a keeper. Many more important positions to shore up first.

  25. `Rick says:

    Rico AOC Debuchy Arteta Chuba and Serge all trained with the squad today.
    They all must be close to full fitness.
    Devil if Ospina was two or three inches taller all the doubters would do a Stan.

  26. Vonnie says:

    I’m not so sure this year Rico, last year Fabianski was brilliant in the semi and wasn’t in the dog box. This year Szczesney was a bit shaky in the semi final and whatever Arsene says I think he’s still out of favour. It will be interesting to see what happens.

  27. Hell Raising Devil says:

    I am with you there Potter. I have always been a great fan of both Bellerin and Martinex. I have always enjoyed seeing them play. And I believed in them. Hector has already made the breakthrough while Martinez needs more game time. But I am with you….eventually Martinez will be the number 1.

  28. Drake says:

    Devil we do not have a problem with ospina,it just that i have a feeling that szc will be sold…even wenger said that it up to szc and knowing that his father always fight his battles…i do see him going

  29. `Rick says:

    Spoy on Potter.
    Noy only will Martinez be not one Macy could finish as number two
    He is starting to look very good.

  30. Drake says:

    Rick i would like to see martinez get a bpl or la liga loan deal where he would mature as a player and get to add more to his game

  31. ScottfromOz says:

    Szcesny should play in the final.
    Last season he was in terrific form and
    Fabianski played.
    This time should be the same.
    The precedent has been set and I for one hope Arsenal maintain its standards.

  32. allezkev says:

    Looking forward to the game tomorrow…

    Wonder if Arsene will indulge in a spot of rotation?

    Guess the only man with the answer to that question will be Mr SilentStain…?

  33. allezkev says:

    Just had a ‘butchers’ on NewsNow and as usual, top of the pops is Metro, with it’s usual ‘Deal Done’, ‘Fee Agreed’, total crap.

    How that pile of shit still manages to draw people in with it’s recipe of garbage is beyond me…

    FFS, just don’t click on Metro, if really is a complete shower of excrement…

    I’m sure that Mr SilentSpam would agree…

  34. allezkev says:

    £50 million for Raheem Stirling….

    Are they sure???

    What are those tossers smoking up there in Brookside?

    I’d rather give Gnabry and/or Akpom a chance first. Even if that does annoy Mr SillentStrain…

  35. allezkev says:

    No mate, day off, been visiting some friends in Cheshunt…

    How’s things with you buddy?

    Need to sleep.

    Night BT….

  36. BT62 Gooner says:

    All good thanks, it’s good to catch up with friends….

    Lets finish the league with all guns blazing…

    Catch you later….

  37. Adam says:

    Muesli actually Rico. 🙂
    Watching Sunday Supplement reminds me once again what a loathsome bunch most football journalists are. The sense of superiority they exude and the way they pass judgement on players and their personal lives from both an ability and moral point of view is distasteful. Henry Winter in particular is slime personified in a vaguely human form. Yuk.

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