It was also Zinchenko first game in months as he’s returning from injury.What about Zinchenko? Could easily play Timber RB and Zinchenko LB.
It was also Zinchenko first game in months as he’s returning from injury.
I wouldn’t say Arsenal fans were primarily blaming the defeat on injuries. Arteta himself has downplayed the effect and explicitly said it was down to refs or any external forces, we just deserved to lose the game.
We had quite a few unavailable against Liverpool where that was a factor. But Newcastle was a dreadful game for us and injuries were way down the list of reasons for that.
He's shit and really should be soldWhat about Zinchenko? Could easily play Timber RB and Zinchenko LB.
Not really the point though, was it?He's shit and really should be sold
Well it kinda is the point, we'd have lost even worse if Zinchenko had played. He's only even near the team because Calafiori is injured and White couldn't start. That's without even mentioning the half fit Timber and Gabriel. It's disingenuous to say we were only one player short of our best XINot really the point though, was it?
Zinchenko was on the bench because he was coming back from an injury that ruled him out of every match since the end of August. The 60 minutes he played in the League Cup was nursing him back from injury, chucking in a half fit play player to mark Salah is something we tried to avoid. So much so that we brought on a teenager who has yet to make a league start at LB instead.He was available for the last 2 PL games, was on the bench and played 60 mins in the league cup.
Liverpool game was 1 game and it was 1 extra injury.. White wasn't available, the rest were all the same.
Zinchenko was on the bench because he was coming back from an injury that ruled him out of every match since the end of August. The 60 minutes he played in the League Cup was nursing him back from injury, chucking in a half fit play player to mark Salah is something we tried to avoid. So much so that we brought on a teenager who has yet to make a league start at LB instead.
Our first choice back line when we’ve had everybody fit this season is
Califiori Gabriel Saliba Timber
Gabriel came off injured early in the second half so finished the game with none of those on the pitch. We were (and still are) also missing Tomiyasu who is one of our first choice rotation options as he’s 6’3”, two footed and can play all across the back line.
I don’t think you know all that much about Arsenal’s squad, which makes sense as you’re not Gooner. But player availability was very much an issue against Liverpool and some games prior to that.
It was far less of a problem against Newcastle, which is why Arteta said that the loss wasn’t bad luck, it was on us as a team.
He's not a defender.He's shit and really should be sold
Loooots of pressure on Odegaard to lift them now.
Wonder if he's got an hour in him at the weekend. Needs to be him or Nwaneri, Trossard is an impact from bench player, too often goes missing when starting.
They said on comms during the game that he’s hardly trained properly yet, so I honestly doubt he starts at the Bridge, might come on the final 30 mins or so.
But the pressure on Odegaard to lift his team out of this slump feels massive. I think he’ll do it too, but his absence has highlighted just how over reliant Arsenal had become on him.
I don’t know how they didn’t get a penalty when Sommer clattered into Merino. It was a clear pen.
I don’t know how they didn’t get a penalty when Sommer clattered into Merino. It was a clear pen.
Yeah, they actually do. Onana did the same and Copenhagen got a penalty, and Argentina got one at the World Cup.They never give penalties when keepers come out for a cross and clatter into players, why would they start doing it for fecking Arsenal of all teams? No one gives fouls when they use basketball screening at every corner too.
Yeah they put absolutely everything into last season in particular and their form was outstanding and it still wasn't enough. People say it should make them even more determined but it doesn't always work out like that.I think maintaining the form of the last 2 seasons was always going to be hard work. Dont let Saka or Odegaard get injured isn't really a realistic expectation. They've been pretty lucky with injuries the last 2 seasons. You look at chelsea, newcastle, us and probably half a dozen other teams last season and their injuries and absenses are just brutal. With the number of games thats probably going to be pretty common.
Your first choice defence / midfield / striker not being available is just somethign teams will have to deal with and Arsenal have better options than most really. No one will really care how good their excuses for dropping down the table are.
