Coq out for just two weeks

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Xhaka and Elneny time.

[Pat Vegas]

Xhaka and Elneny time.

That's what he thinks.

[SWv2]

Xhaka and Elneny time.

Please god it will be longer so we can see Xhaka strut his stuff, as such.

No point in spending €40m on a dude and then not playing him, may as well not have bothered.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

No. May as well have bothered. Because for the first time in yonks we have not one, not two but three decent holding midfielders.

[Ash]

Please god it will be longer so we can see Xhaka strut his stuff, as such.

No point in spending €40m on a dude and then not playing him, may as well not have bothered.

It is a bit wierd though to catch yourself thinking a little bit "Great! A chance for player Y from our deep squad to get a few games and take his chance, without having to seeth on the bench or worse." First world problems, as it were, but one wonders if Arsene will be able to manage contentment and rotation in a midfield this rich.

[Sir C]

It is a bit wierd though to catch yourself thinking a little bit "Great! A chance for player Y from our deep squad to get a few games and take his chance, without having to seeth on the bench or worse." First world problems, as it were, but one wonders if Arsene will be able to manage contentment and rotation in a midfield this rich.

I worry we're going to lose Ramsey. There's no way he's going to sit on anyone's bench :-(

[SWv2]

I worry we're going to lose Ramsey. There's no way he's going to sit on anyone's bench :-(

As per the comment from Sir C above I await the return of Ramsey to see how on earth he can make it work and keep so many happy without upsetting a winning balance.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

I worry we're going to lose Ramsey. There's no way he's going to sit on anyone's bench :-(

Ditto. Unfortunately, he best position is No.10, but he won't take Ozzy's place. And behind him, Santi's better than him.

And our front three atm is the best in ages. Would we really want to drop Feo or Iwobi atm? One has 3 goals and 1 assist, the other 3 assists.

For big away games, I can see AW preferring Rambo, and if either Feo or Iwobi has a dip in form, Rambo can come in and make the spot his own.

But I just don't think he'd be first choice atm if fit. And one of the best players at the Euros should be starting every week.

Tricky situation.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

We spoke about this the other night. It would be foolhardy to sell Ramsey and keep Cazorla. He's going to be 32 in a couple of months. Any season we get beyond this one from him is a bonus.

[Ash]

As per the comment from Sir C above I await the return of Ramsey to see how on earth he can make it work and keep so many happy without upsetting a winning balance.

Yes, and I almost mentioned AR as a case in point. Of course footballers all want to play and they all believe they are the best and should play. (Except AOC, for example, who knows his form is below par etc.) But if you have a first eleven that are playing well and winning matches, must a player expect the boss to break up that team for him? Or should he be expected to compete his way back into the team by working hard in training and waiting his chance? As a manager I expect I would prefer the latter, all other things being equal.

[Pat Vegas]

I worry we're going to lose Ramsey. There's no way he's going to sit on anyone's bench :-(

Sending Wilshere away was the right decision imo.
I can not see any space for him at all currently.

I suppose the Cazorla position is up for grabs.

[SWv2]

Yes, and I almost mentioned AR as a case in point. Of course footballers all want to play and they all believe they are the best and should play. (Except AOC, for example, who knows his form is below par etc.) But if you have a first eleven that are playing well and winning matches, must a player expect the boss to break up that team for him? Or should he be expected to compete his way back into the team by working hard in training and waiting his chance? As a manager I expect I would prefer the latter, all other things being equal.

Well quite, or that is the line we are fed that players will work hard in training and await their chance.

Bu then what about Holding for example - did nothing wrong, indeed performed admirably in difficult new circumstances but was immediately edged to one side when Mustafi arrived. His age allows us to all readily accept and explain his demotion to likely fourth choice but he is only a year younger than John Stones so age alone is not relevant.

On recent form I would be very surprised if Iwobi or Walcott were dropped to allow Ramsey back in, or Cazorla further back. What becomes difficult is how long this is allowed to continue even in the face of winning matches as certain players I assume would simply not accept being substitute options.

In this respect I found the move of Wilshere to be odd and I am 50/50 if we will ever see him in an Arsenal shirt again, though I hope so. He played in the opening games of the season (came on) so was clearly “in the managers plans” to use the media phrase, then shipped out on the logic of him needing games. He could as easily stayed and worked his *******s off in training for us maintaining and proving his fitness and awaiting the chance which may have come his way.

His move suggests to me he has fallen so far down the pecking order as to now be dispensable and when this happens (with the odd exception) it tends to be the end.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Sadly injuries interfere with the best laid plans so the same team won't play all along. But what the manager and his team also need to balance is whether your best players are better than those just behind them when they have been playing twice a week for months. That's why you need a good squad and you need to use it.

It is a waste of a good squad if all you do is burn out your best players until they get injuried or their performacne drops. By husbanding our resources you can get the most of the first XI and the squad.

Which is why tomorrow I'd start Gibbs and maybe leave Alexis on the bench.

[Pat Vegas]

Well quite, or that is the line we are fed that players will work hard in training and await their chance.

Bu then what about Holding for example - did nothing wrong, indeed performed admirably in difficult new circumstances but was immediately edged to one side when Mustafi arrived. His age allows us to all readily accept and explain his demotion to likely fourth choice but he is only a year younger than John Stones so age alone is not relevant.

On recent form I would be very surprised if Iwobi or Walcott were dropped to allow Ramsey back in, or Cazorla further back. What becomes difficult is how long this is allowed to continue even in the face of winning matches as certain players I assume would simply not accept being substitute options.

In this respect I found the move of Wilshere to be odd and I am 50/50 if we will ever see him in an Arsenal shirt again, though I hope so. He played in the opening games of the season (came on) so was clearly “in the managers plans” to use the media phrase, then shipped out on the logic of him needing games. He could as easily stayed and worked his *******s off in training for us maintaining and proving his fitness and awaiting the chance which may have come his way.

His move suggests to me he has fallen so far down the pecking order as to now be dispensable and when this happens (with the odd exception) it tends to be the end.

I am not sure we will see him at Arsenal again, Unless Wenger leaves at the end of the season.
It was a weird move to send him away maybe it's more than hard work wants. Maybe he wants a change of attitude (not that I am aware he has a attitude problem) and wants to let him get on with it.

or Wilshere wishes to remain at Arsenal and came to arrangement with Wenger for the loan in order to play. rather than kick up a fuss and leave.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Wilshere needed games but he couldn't get them if he was injured or just recovering. Also he needs to show he can play regularly without getting injured all the time. I was surprised he went to Bournemouth, well below his level, but maybe the idea is that he shouldn't be at a team which plays two games a week.

[World's End Stella]

I worry we're going to lose Ramsey. There's no way he's going to sit on anyone's bench :-(

:cloud9:

10 f*cking characters

[SWv2]

Wilshere needed games but he couldn't get them if he was injured or just recovering. Also he needs to show he can play regularly without getting injured all the time. I was surprised he went to Bournemouth, well below his level, but maybe the idea is that he shouldn't be at a team which plays two games a week.

He came on in the Liverpool game and whoever it was we played next. Had the issue simply been an agreement that he needed game time he could have left at any point.

Personally I think his absence from the England squad was the major catalyst as not playing for his club meant he was not going to be selected. The simple fact that Wenger accepted it and said “off you go” I find bizarre.

We are not talking about a young promising player here, rather a £20m-£30m midfield player who could and probably would have played a role for us over the season.

Was the injury to Ramsey (thus depleting midfield resources) before or after Wilshere leaving??

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Injury to Ramsey came before Wilshere's move by about two weeks but it may have been on the cards.

I am not sure our resources are depleted. We have: Theo, Ox, Oz, Alexis, Santi, Elneny, Coq, Iwobi, Xhaka and Rambo. That's 10 players for 5 positions before you start looking at the under 21's. And Welbz back in December.

Fact is Jack gives you a false sense of security because you think you have a top player (which he is) but then he's rarely available. Much as I love the guy if we could have conned Citeh into paying £40 million for him last year I would have sold him.

[World's End Stella]

Fact is Jack gives you a false sense of security because you think you have a top player (which he is) but then he's rarely available. Much as I love the guy if we could have conned Citeh into paying £40 million for him last year I would have sold him.

You could say the same thing about Ramsey although to a slightly lesser extent. How many seasons ago was it that he scored all those goals first half of the season, then got injured? Two seasons would be my guess and it feels like he's missed an awful lot of time with injury during that time.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

You could say the same thing about Ramsey although to a slightly lesser extent. How many seasons ago was it that he scored all those goals first half of the season, then got injured? Two seasons would be my guess and it feels like he's missed an awful lot of time with injury during that time.

You could. But Jack gives the impression of being more fragile, and that's probably borne out by the stats of his injuries. Plus where and how he plays doesn't aid his cause. He wants to be Vieira but his body doesn't let him.