Happy Wednesday Gooners.
Champions League Match Day 2 (as UEFA would like us to call it), Olympiacos are the opposition from Greece. Before we launch into a quick match preview, it’s worth recapping on the main story of the last 24hours; the operation of Jack Wilshere.
As Dev mentioned yesterday, Jack has had his operation and now faces 5 months out of action. With the medical team under growing pressure given the recent lengthy injuries of Vermaelen, Rosicky and the never ending saga of Diaby, Wenger was inevitably asked questions regarding Jack;
“It’s unfair because the club medical staff haven’t made any mistakes on that front,” he said. “It is unfortunate and we are all very sad at the club that it has happened to such a young boy.
“We were even more worried as it was a complicated procedure so it was a big relief yesterday for everybody at the club that the operation went well. I am convinced that the medical staff have not made any mistakes on this case.”
Some people need a scapegoat in every scenario. Whether it be an incompetent defender, a Russian winger or the weather, someone needs to have the finger pointed at them in today’s Arsenal world. The reason Jack has had the operation is due to a stress fracture in his ankle. What is a stress fracture?
A stress fracture occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock. Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing a tiny crack called a stress fracture.
In other words Jack was over worked and over played in his first season, 44 starts in total. So who’s to blame now? The fact is it was our over reliance on a young gifted player and not letting his body recover. No Ramsey and Cesc in and out of the team, Jack was often ‘the first on the teamsheet’ due to a lack of options. We wish Jack a speedy recovery but suitably timed recovery.
Hurry up, they need the bed.
The RVP contract ‘drama’ rumbles on but for me we need to win games and get back to form, the contract can wait. Simples.
Olympiacos come to town tonight for our first home game in the Champions League. I’d like to tell you a load of facts about them and do some fancy analysis but I don’t know anything about them! What I do know is that Mellberg plays for them and that c*nt got the first competitive goal at the Emirates, so lets smash ‘em!
Team news is that our NHS medical team have informed us that Gervinho (muscle injury), Koscielny (ankle) and Walcott (knee) are all out and are currently sitting in A&E waiting for treatment. Djourou (hamstring) and Benayoun (thigh) are both still out. The boss hinted that Song could play in defence so the team could look something like this:
Szcz
Sagna – Song – Mertsacker – Gibbs
Coquelin – Ramsey
Arteta
Rosicky - RVP – Arshavin
I expect us to win at home but as the United game proved last night, take a team lightly at your peril in the Champions League. Plus I really hope if we need Chamakh (a barn door) to come on he doesn’t refuse. That would be really embarassing… ! Oh City, you can buy all the players in the world but you can never buy class.
Till the next time. Enjoy the game all! RED ARMY!!
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