Greetings Fellow Gooners…
Ahead of tomorrow’s biggest game of the season, we’ve been hit by another two injuries to add to our list of lengthening injuries, which sees both Alex Song and Carlos Vela out of tomorrow’s squad to face Barcelona… It’s a big blow because Alex Song is basically our player of the season and he’s been immense for us – especially in the first leg. Arsene revealed the news this morning saying:
“It was a bad surprise this morning because he had a scan yesterday afternoon on his knee and he has an inflamed cartilage,” said Wenger before leaving for Spain. “We have to wait and see how bad it is but he is completely out for the squad for tomorrow’s game.”
He also revealed that Campbell may not be available either and that he couldn’t train today.
“That is a decision I have to make after speaking to him tomorrow,” said the manager. “Today he was still not completely available although he managed to get a warm-up. To go into such a game you must be completely fit or not play at all.”
It leaves 11 players out through injury and that’s a lot of players, considering when you look and the Missing XI, that at least 5 players would have definitely started…
[Goalkeeper]
Djourou – Gallas – Campbell – Gibbs
Song – Ramsey
Arshavin – Cesc – Vela
Van Persie
But as I have been reminded various times today and yesterday, we have pretty much been depleted at various stages all season and it’s not the first time we have had key members missing from the first XI – it is a massive injury crisis though and mental aptitude is must required… We have to remember, we’ve gone to the San Siro twice – and beaten AC Milan 2-0, Inter Milan 5-1 and of course gone to Spain and beaten Real Madrid 1-0 – I know we’ve had fullish squads then, but despite the massive injury list, we can still field a decent team… let’s have a look who I think will feature tomorrow…
Almunia
Sagna – Vermaelen – Silvestre – Clichy
Denilson – Diaby
Eboue – Nasri – Rosicky
Bendtner
With a bench of Fabianski, Campbell, Traore, Eastmond, Merida, Walcott and Eduardo
You may be thinking – oh my gosh, we have to start Theo – but the reason I think Arsene won’t start the young winger is because he has been talking about the impact Theo can make as a sub and of course, we know that having Eboue and Sagna down the right may be a more defensive option. I think Barcelona are the type of team who will have a go and try and get a goal. Despite their away goal advantage, I can’t see them still back and letting us attack – I really think they will push forward and that’s why we must defend well first most and farmost and then look at counter attacking. As Theo showed in the first leg, he can be a brilliant impact sub – when the opposition is tired and Theo is fresh, it’s quite a battle.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more information about the squad, our chances and Barcelona’s possible team, but for the moment, I have to mention something I read about Karl Henry – the player that got sent off against us on the weekend. He’s been talking about how Arsenal don’t like being tackled and don’t like being “hit hard” and how we moan when we are. Well, sorry Mr Henry, you are even more stupid and narrow minded than you were previously – how on earth can you say that is beyond me. “Hit hard?” – we’ve lost Van Persie, Cesc and Ramsey this season alone because they were all “hit hard” by teams over physical against us. How would you like it if someone broke your ankle / leg and they complain when you moaned.
Wolves are pretty much another Hull / Stoke type team whom don’t even care for the sporting nature of football. It looks like Burnley may be going down along with West Ham and Portsmouth, but we shouldn’t really be happy to see the likes of West Ham, Pompey and last seasons relegations of Newcastle and Middlesborough, because the Premiership is now filled up with the likes of Stoke, Hull, Burnley, Blackburn, Bolton etc etc, and what do all these teams have in common? They’ll break a leg to stay in this league and normally it’s an Arsenal player.
I’ll let you digest that for the moment. Over and out, for now.
