Wenger hints at midfielder return! Best keeper up against best striker today….

We have all been wondering what to make of the absence of Andrey Arshavin, when was the last time he started a match?
Over the last few weeks he hasn’t even made it onto the pitch from the bench either but today could see his return which suggests Wenger could rotate a little tonight.

Talking about Arshavin, Wenger said:

He’s not a back-up player but at the moment he doesn’t play, maybe he will play on Saturday.

I feel sorry for every player who doesn’t play but it is part of our job. Competition is part of our job and you must accept that in some periods of your career somebody can get in front of you.

It must be difficult, right now things are not broken so why fix it but on the other hand, if players don’t get a rest when they need, injuries could set in…

Personally, I’d start with the same side that won midweek, we didn’t have to travel and surely they have had chance to rest those weary legs in time for today’s home match.

From Wengers comments though, maybe the Russian is about to make his first appearance for a little while today but will he be the only change? I don’t think so, I reckon the big Frenchman could be in for his first start in what seems like years.

We all know it’s Fulham up today at 5.30pm and here are a few stats:

As said, Diaby is fit and Rosicky has also available for selection after recovering from an ankle injury which kept him out of the midweek game.

Fulham are without both Damien Duff and Stephen Kelly, old boy John Arne Riise is back after becoming a father.

We are now on a five match winning run in the league, our best run in near on 20 months so things really are looking better. The side seems so much more gelled, more ‘team like’ and things seem to be defiantly on the up, long may that remain. We finally have a captain who when talks on the clubs website, does so about others and not just himself. He makes it clear how important each and every players contribution is paramount to us improving and no matter how the media want to call us a one player team, he obviously doesn’t agree with the idiots!

Fulham have never beaten us on our own blades of grass….

Did you know that Alex Song’s performance against Dortmund midweek was one of the strongest seen by a central midfielder this season in the Champions League – shame he was guilty of a gaff in the last few minutes of that game, it could have been the best rather than ‘one of the best’.

Some suggest we still have weaknesses in defence, maybe they are right but we are certainly a great deal better than we were at the beginning of the season, a clean sheet today may just go a long way to shutting the critics up.

Head-to-head

We have never lost to Fulham at home – out of the 25 matches played, we have drawn just three and in the ten Premier League fixtures played, they have managed just six goals.

Fulham have scored 13 goals this season and our number 10 has scored that same amount all by himself.

Theo has notched up 8 assists this year and each one has been finished by Robin.

Fulham, well they have managed just 12 victories in their last 101 away fixtures in the Premier League but this season, our one time goalkeeper target, Mark Schwarzer has kept five clean sheets, equal best in the league so getting past him won’t be easy.

So, their keeper is in form but he hasn’t faced the most potent striker in the league yet has he?

The big question is, will he today and if he does, will he keep a clean sheet?

I doubt it……..

236 thoughts on “Wenger hints at midfielder return! Best keeper up against best striker today….

  1. alan b'stard M P says:

    evening/morning all

    Arsene better not get rotation happy. Not good for continuity

    We must be careful. Even if we win, we still require the sides above us to drop points

  2. rico says:

    Good thanks STV…

    hi alan, i think he will rotate today, 1 or 2 should be ok but not 6/7 like he has done before but i dont think he will these days, we are still fragile, one loss could see all the good work undone….

  3. goonster says:

    Morning HH….I have a good feeling about this. We ve not thrashed anyone this season. Am thinking this is it. Besides martin jol owe us a serious whupping from his time with the spuds.

  4. rico says:

    Morning goonster, jol has never beaten us, long may that remain too…

    we could do with a big win for the goals but fulham defend well i think

    Stv, i hope wenger isn’t thinking about Citeh today….

  5. rico says:

    That’s me Stv 😉

    We can worry about Citeh when the day arrives, now all we need to focus on is the game today, Citeh have such a large squad, whoever they put out will be stronger than our CC side but we are at home and anything can happen on the night 😉

  6. STV says:

    But you’re right. I’ve wondered how many games Mourinho put Ronaldo, time and time again..

    As for as city , they have a large squad but many of them are junk lol

  7. alan b'stard M P says:

    speaking of Jol,

    He gets a mention here along with SAF & ” Cashley. Makes me laugh. I k ow we’ve seen it but…..

  8. rico says:

    I reckon Diaby and AA will come in, maybe Park or Chamakh for RvP

    I bet he starts him in every game Stv, unless it’s against a really rubbish side….

    Ha Ha re Citeh, i wish we had one or two of theirs 😉

  9. goonster says:

    Rosciky won’t leave us rico…..he’s a gooner. Arshavin on the other hand can. We need to sell to buy. Ashavin and chamakh should fetch 20m. With that we could get a few players. Granero for me and cahill for my mama bear!

  10. rico says:

    Rosicky’s contract is up in 18 months i think goonster, he’ll be 33 then i think and he won’t get another one with us then i doubt – if the intrest is real, i can see him going….

    Agree re AA and Chamakh, sell and re-ivest on players who wenger will play…

    I think I am nearly convinced that Vertoghen would be a better signing than Cahill 😉

  11. goonster says:

    morning STV….anything for my mama bear. She’s one of the reasons I wake up in the morning. She and AGAG that is…..don’t tell agag though.

  12. alan b'stard M P says:

    we won’t get Cahill. AW won’t go back. He’s a proud man, at our expense

    Scott Parker is doing really well. Too early try and get him either

    I tell you what, the way Arsenal Ladies are going, we could find a replacement for AW. Why not! Their manager/coach seems to well

  13. rico says:

    We need others to start stepping up in the goal department, show their worth – if RvP is to be rested, maybe move Gerv into the middle and play AA/Diaby/Rosicky on the left?

  14. STV says:

    Rico I think apart from that mere 4m we get, he loved arsenal very much. I’d like to see him remain as a squad player seeing off his contract.

  15. rico says:

    You two 😆

    alan, you never know though, he could have the last laugh, Coyle knocked back a £10M offer in the summer, Wenger could now get him for £8M – I wondered back then if it was just Wengers way of letting Cahill know he’d be back for him?

    Otherwise, why didn’t he go to Arry’s lot? He’s a good buddy of Jacks, until another club sign him I going to think it’s possible for us to….

  16. rico says:

    🙂 goonster, not giving up on him, i’d love to see him at the ems, but, for the good of the squad, maybe vertoghen is the better choice as he can play anywhere in defence and we may soon need a LB 😉

  17. goonster says:

    Gerv in the middle is a disaster waiting to happen maam. He’s a winger not a striker. We need chamakh or park to step up not playing another player out of position. Those guys need more games than gervinho. He ll come good don’t worry your pretty little head. Park to start for me. He looks hungrier.

  18. rico says:

    Coyle called it derisory Stv but for a player in the last season of his contract, asking £18 Million was too much, had Coyle been sensible he would have got more than he will in Jan, certainly more than he will in the summer 😉

    Wenger said we offered more than what the paps reported…

  19. rico says:

    goonster – i’m trying to guess wenger – who has siad that he considers Gerv to be a striker 😉

    Park for me too but he’s not getting playing time and i just don’t understand why, i know RvP is always first choice but when he’s rested, why play Chamakh, he’s rubbish 😉

  20. STV says:

    They’re losers.. rico,

    BTW How abt playing AA in place of Ramsey.. W e can also see whether the ‘Arshavin central role thing’ is true or not .

  21. goonster says:

    Coyle is a mug rico….a good mug though. Thanks to him we ve for a world class player in our ranks. Jack wilshere! Boy I can’t wait to see that lad….come on you gunners.

  22. alan b'stard M P says:

    Vertonghen makes sense due to the continuity he cab bring working with RvP. they have played alongside each other and no each other well

    Still I like English backs

  23. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    Coyle wants players, we have players for sale. I think the deal was done a while ago, Coyle wanted Cahill for another few months, Wenger’s got time and players on his side, Cahills a Gooner.

  24. alan b'stard M P says:

    why does AW play players out of position constantly. If he suggested that as a guest at WASPS he’d be run out of the place. Wouldn’t happen in rugby unless necessary

  25. goonster says:

    not on the side of judgment day maam….wenger won’t change his formation. 442 is dead and gone. Most top class european teams don’t play 442 anymore. We need to get with the times maam.

  26. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Hello!
    We can climb up must we must be careful.
    Besides all the interesting games in the League I will be comit in same interesting matches today: Schalke -Dortmund (the big derby of the Bundesliga); Benfica-Sporting;Real Madrid-Atletico Madrid and Marseille-PSG.
    Interesting Saturday, isn’t it ? 🙂
    Common Arsenal!
    I’m going for a walk along the seasisde after my jogging 🙂

  27. rico says:

    Coyle isn’t behind Jack being so good, Jack is the reason jack is good….

    Stv – I thought it was Faye White 😉

  28. rico says:

    alan, vertoghen makes more sense, but cahill would bring a bit more english to the side as you say, both would be good 😉

  29. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning Rico. Everyone thinks todays game is a walk in the park, i think this game is a must win game, the momentum must continue.

  30. rico says:

    I think it’s going to be a tough one Steve, we dip a bit after CL and that was a toughie against BD – that’s why i hope he doesn’t change too much around – if he can, start with the same 11, try and put the game to bed then take players off – he can rest most of them all week….

    And Schwarzer is in top form……

  31. alan b'stard M P says:

    yes the players must be feeling confident and a few may take it easy and not tell each other.

    I hope that doesn’t happen

    I agree they really must play well

  32. goonster says:

    Hey STV seen santos’ interview in the express this morning? Now tell me why won’t I love our new left back? He’s just awesome. I love him love him love him….geez stan calm down. Sheesh don’t give DG and kev ammunition to bring you down. Get it together homeboy.

  33. STV says:

    He is a gem goonster, when many people moaned abought how we missed that fat jos enrique purchase.. His performances against BD is one of his best this season. hope he can continue the improvement.

  34. goonster says:

    I only wish newcastle can thrashed those northern c**nts. God I hate manure. Fergusnose rooney and most of all that short bow legged son of a cow evra. Whom left to me should be thrown off a fast moving jet liner over the cliffs of dover. I hate them all.

  35. goonster says:

    Howdy steve…..santos is class. Our very own brazilian magician. He can only improve with each game. Hopefully before he retires he ll teach a few tricks to the young uns coming up. Hey STV jose who? Thought so!COYGS

  36. alan b'stard M P says:

    goonster

    I read the Santos thing i9n the Express. Santos says

    ” But I know in Europe and at Arsenal my first job is to defend and then attack. In Brazil, it is the other way around. ”

    Sounds rather contradictory. WTF is he saying? Is he saying in Brazil he is other than a defender?

    Oh dear?

  37. goonster says:

    you mocking me STV*winks* I just hate those bastards. Rico won’t allow it but boy sometimes I feel like letting loose.

  38. goonster says:

    Alan in Brazil a full back’s first duty is to attack then defend over here its the opposite…..I think its pretty cool.

  39. stevepalmer1 says:

    Stan you need to chill mate, forget about all the hatred you have for all of these other teams and concentrate your thoughts on the Arsenal. Ferguson has proved to all that he is a blinding manager and the players he has enlisted over the years have turned out wiinning teams which has acumulated many trophies, although i am envious of their success i dont hate them, admiration is the word i would use for them, which makes a victory over them all the more sweeter. Racism is built on hatred and we know how that is affecting the sport, surely you can see that so chill out mate.

  40. alan b'stard M P says:

    Goonster thanks for explaining that. I’m not up on Brazilian football. I really confine myself to the EPL

    Wonderful record the Brazilians have

  41. devilgunner says:

    You’re welcome W.A.T.H. Its home made and very strong. But why not the pizza also?? Its been baked by the best cook in the world.

  42. devilgunner says:

    Morning Goonster. I have already supervised two training sessions for kids between 9 and 12 years this morning. Now back home for a bite and a little rest and its off to run the rule over our under 15. Then its off to dad to see AFC ply their trade. Saturdays are very hectic for me.

  43. goonster says:

    Wow good one my man….I ve had two bottles of jack daniels red label this afternoon. Am bored man. Can’t wait for the game. Why are we always on early and late kick offs?

  44. W.A.T.H says:

    Cheers DG, nothing wrong with the vino mate ta 4 that… enjoy the U15’s n watching the footie with your Dad…!

    Ah Stanley…… How’s you my pirate friend…? No abusing anyone in the local bars u hear…!

  45. W.A.T.H says:

    Do you believe the papers Alan……….? I believe neither them nor wenger only when we get to the end of Jan will we know the truth.

  46. alan b'stard M P says:

    Hi W.A.T.H

    I know AW was forced into buying, and I believe if he feels comfortable, ha may fall back into bad habits

  47. agirlagunner says:

    Boo! Good one, rico. There is a sense of renewal in our team, it’s not hard for all of us to be happy campers as well. I quite like!!

    DG, save me a slice, please. Goonster, two bottles? I bet you mean the miniature airline sized ones. 😀

    Hola, WATH. How are you, old man? 😉 Hello, alan.

  48. goonster says:

    WATH we won’t be singing anyone. Its not wenger’s style. Besides according to him we have a large squad. We ve LJW and sagna coming back in a few months time, diaby’s already back. No chance.

  49. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Santos tells you what I had written here a few weeks ago. Put your eyes in Daniel Alves, Maicon, Marcelo,etc. The full back are “wingers” and mostly of them have been wingers or midfields and then full backs. In Brazil they have more or less 3 central backs. No static central backs. Strong a nd quickly central backs.
    And the best team in Brazil is Vasco da Gama and the second is Portuguesa dos Desportos 🙂

  50. agirlagunner says:

    If we are to stand a chance at mounting a credible title challenge (gulps), we have to get reinforcements in January! Hazard for me, merci. rico, still after Cahill are you? That will go the route of Torres. I suspect the Chavs will sign him.

    Hello, JM. 🙂 You do watch a lot of football, don’t you?

  51. agirlagunner says:

    Kaka seems to have lost his mojo at Madrid. Although he would suit our style of play, I think. Def beyond our budget though.

  52. agirlagunner says:

    I have a hard enough time following the prem, JM. AFC is more than enough for me. Hats off to you and KT and the others who have the energy to follow other leagues. 🙂

    goonster, I haven’t seen anything of Granero. And you have to manage your expectations. Cough *Mata* cough. Hah!

  53. Joaquim Moreira says:

    agag, I like spend winter weekends in front of TV, doing things and watching football and sport. Here, we have, at least, 4 sport tv channels and we broadcast mostly of the important leagues: England,Spain,German, Italy,Portuguese,France,Scotland,Holand and Argentina. Isn’t great? 🙂

  54. alan b'stard M P says:

    yes agg. I think me will be beyond budget. Papers have linked him with Arsenal but that means nothing

  55. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Last yera we won 2-0 versus Fulham. Nasri scored twice. And in that time, we climb up to the 1st position

  56. rico says:

    He’s in good form right now alan, but we all know he will get bored and start looking for a bigger club – that’s when his form will dip…. Is he off to the ACON’s??

    Or did he quit playing from international football after that awful incident?

  57. alan b'stard M P says:

    pity we got rid of Ade. He’s a great player. Pity he is so disruptive. Too emotional to keep as a playerr I suppose

  58. rico says:

    Team in full:

    Szczesny, Djourou, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Song, Arteta, Ramsey, Arshavin, Walcott, Van Persie (c).

    Substitutes:

    Fabianski, Koscielny, Diaby, Frimpong, Benayoun, Gervinho, Chamakh.

  59. rico says:

    Good player alan – huge ego though and only plays when he feels up for it, i think he and a few players at the time had problems with eachother with us…

  60. rico says:

    goonster – don’t worry about the noisy ones, we’ll beat them and so will other sides this season – just watch over the christmas period….

    agag, very annoying he is but…..

  61. rico says:

    Tell what upsets me more, an old school friend called me earlier, he had a spare ticket and wanted to take me with him to the game…. If only I’d known yesterday i could have gone…

    Bless him though for thinking about me, next time eh…..

    I’m gutted 🙁

  62. agirlagunner says:

    The Spuds are two-bob team, goonster. Allezkev, MD would be telling you to take your chill pills just about now. 😀

    rico and alan, when it suits him, he is really good, Adebayor. Shame he’s such a lazyarse most of the time.

  63. rico says:

    agag, exactly, right now he’s at a new club, trying to impress, just like he did at citeh, wasn’t long before he faded away there and it won’t be too long until he does the same at WHL….

  64. rico says:

    From the horses mouth, Keown has just said that signing Henry would not be a bad idea….

    agag, he assures me he will 🙂

    Nor am i JM, but i won’t give them an inch of praise 😉

  65. alan b'stard M P says:

    Van Persie still has a possible seven games left in which to smash Alan Shearer’s record number of goals in a calendar year

  66. alan b'stard M P says:

    netted 44 goals in 50 games for club and country this calendar year at an average of 0.88 goals a game. That’s a better strike rate than Lionel Messi. Only Cristiano Ronaldo can better it with 53 in 55 games!

    He’s now gunning for records. His 13 goals in the first 12 league matches has only ever been bettered in the Premier League by Les Ferdinand, who hit 14 by this stage but failed to score in game 13.

    The Arsenal captain has netted 31 Premier League goals in 2011. Only Alan Shearer (36 in 1995) and Thierry Henry (34 in 2004) have scored more in a calendar year.

  67. EastSidePaul says:

    Awful first half, no pressing, and they’re jogging around like its a testimonial.

    The only difference between Ramsey and Denilson is that Ramsey is British and can therefor get away with murder, all he serves to do in the side is slow play down, can’t understand why Arshavin isn’t playing in the middle.

    Also a point I have been meaning to bring up is the extreme lack luster of support from the Arsenal crowd, the place is dead, are drums, whistles and singing banned?!

  68. agirlagunner says:

    ESP, you’re unduly harsh on Ramsey. No one has exactly sparkled so far. And wherever are you when he has great games? 😉 🙂 Not here is where. 😀

  69. EastSidePaul says:

    AGAG – I have yet to witness a great game for Ramsey to be honest! I have seen one or two mediocre performance.

    But really, why not play Arshavin in the middle where he belongs?
    Lets see some Ryo on the left wing.

  70. rico says:

    Wow, this is the first time in six years that Wenger has picked a team which doesn’t include a french player…..

    Get Kos and Diaby on 😉

  71. Joaquim Moreira says:

    no… the problem is Fulham stands a very solidaritat team and after the fist 15 minutes won the midfield battle..
    We need a fresh and strong midfield player on and Gervinho too

  72. agirlagunner says:

    Interesting stat, rico! 🙂 ESP, he has had a solid two months now. He was really good v. Chelsea; how could you have forgotten so soon? 😉

    Our frustration is showing. time to change it up…

  73. rico says:

    agag, i have to disagree with you on Ramsey, now there is a first 😉

    he slows us down too often imho, so many times in this game he could play a first time ball out to either wing but he likes too many touches….

    i think he’s a great potential but today he’s not good, but then again, none have really shone, apart from Theo 😉

    Santos is having another good game too…. Song has gone back to being …. Song…

  74. rico says:

    I have to go now guys, have friends coming round, needless to say, i won’t be good company 🙁 🙁

    Unless we nick a winner….. 🙁 🙁

    Night all…….

    Catch up tomorrow……

  75. agirlagunner says:

    Spurned chances. 🙁 Listless first half. 🙁 Two points dropped. Grrr…

    Try to have a good time, rico. 😉

  76. EastSidePaul says:

    Mike Dean is a shithead.

    Why can I ask did Arron Ramsey start when Diaby is fit, the guy as we have just seen is exponentially better than Ramsey.

  77. EastSidePaul says:

    STV we sure do!
    Diaby, Rosciky, benayoun …. we could raffle for a fan to play instead each week? Couldn’t be much worse! 😛

  78. Joaquim Moreira says:

    The replaces were 15 minutes later… AW must wait just 10 minutes in the 2 half and not after had concede a goal. I said those replacements at half time. 15 minutes to the end of the 1st half goal attemps were be more or less, 8 for us and two to fulham. At the final of the 1st half probably 9-8…
    In my opinion, we had a good game but our physical condition was in a mediocre level.

  79. EastSidePaul says:

    JM – Changes should have been made at half time, but we know Wenger doesn’t do it for what ever reason.

  80. agirlagunner says:

    Not nearly enough GG, STV. 🙂 The boss is… Well, I should imagine all bosses are… 😉 I shall just stop.

    JM, we gifted them a goal; and did not press until too late. Got to regroup again.

  81. goonster says:

    Valiant performance in the last 10 minutes from the guys. If they keep this “pressing thing” up. We ll be a handful this season. Santos walcott and djorou were my stand out performers. Two points dropped now were are 4 points behind the spuds and they have a game in hand! Great.

  82. Joaquim Moreira says:

    goonster, “the valiant performance in the last 10 minutes” was only possible after the subs and when we broke and won the midfield battle. Fulham was very solid and solidarity team during all the game and knew where can equalize the match. Not scored early and whithout a fresh and reactive midfield was our problem. Anyway, in my opinion we had a good game. Not lucky, waht is completely different.

  83. allezkev says:

    Arsenal have improved a lot since the opening few games of this season.
    But they need all XI players to be working, defending and helping each other out.
    We are good enough to be able to carry anyone and whilst i don’t blame Arshavin totally for 2 dropped points.
    It was noticable that the fastest he ran, was when he was subbed and sprinted off.
    The difference in our attack when Gervinho came on, was stark.

  84. Joaquim Moreira says:

    And I don’t understand without Gervinho, Fripong and Chamack (at leat, I hope…) in January how we can’t go to the market in that period

  85. allezkev says:

    Hi JM.
    Thought that Chamakh looked sharp when he came on, but you could see the difference when Gerv came on.
    He got wide, stretched Fulham’s defence & created opportunities.
    Arshavin just drifted inside and disappeared up his zenit.
    As for Diaby, i didn’t see him do anything out of the ordinary. But maybe a start for him next Tuesday vs ManCity could be illuminating, if he can stay fit for 90mins.
    There’s no doubt imho that the energy used in overcoming Dortmund had an effect today.

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