Arsenal Match Previews
Injuries pile up for Arsenal’s season opener - huge opportunity for Ramsey, Denilson and Djourou
Arsenal begin their season tonight in Holland with the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against FC Twente.
Unfortunately they will do so under quite a hefty injury cloud. Indeed, Arsene Wenger has revealed that Arsenal are without Abou Diaby, Samir Nasri, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos and Cesc Fabregas as well as long-term casualties Tomas Rosicky and Eduardo for the game.
“Kolo has a hip muscle problem. Cesc has a hamstring problem, he will be out for the next two games. Abou Diaby will be out for a while, we knew that. Philippe Senderos has a scan on his hamstring. He did that today whereas Fabregas did his hamstring yesterday. Samir Nasri should be OK for Saturday and so should Kolo Toure.”
The most notable name on that list is of course Fabregas and I think it’s an understatement to say that the side is looking stretched in the middle of the park. The likelihood is that Wenger will partner Denilson with Aaron Ramsey, a situation that is bordering on ridiculous.
It will be interesting to see how Denilson handles being the senior member of a midfield combination that is yet to play a competitive game together. I have my doubts about the Brazilian’s ability to assert himself physically on the game so it will be up to him to step up to the challenge and do his best. As for Ramsey, this is a huge opportunity for him to show the fans and the manager what he is capable of. I am particularly looking forward to watching him play.
Another player I am looking forward to watching is Johan Djourou - who should partner William Gallas in the centre of defence as a result of the injuries to Toure and Senderos. Given Toure’s performance against Ajax midweek I think there would have been a chance that either Senderos or Djourou was going to start this game at his expense and I’m delighted to see that it will be the latter. I’ve said before that I really feel he will become a great central defender and it will be interesting to see how he handles this opportunity.
The injuries in the squad means the side that Wenger will put out will probably look like this:
Almunia
Sagna - Djourou - Gallas - Clichy
Eboue - Denilson - Ramsey - Walcott
Adebayor - van Persie
Regardless of the injury problems I do think Arsenal will get the job done against FC Twente. I also have to say that I’m ridiculously excited about the return of the new season.
It’s going to be such good fun cheering the boys on in a game that really matters again and I can’t wait. Enjoy the game wherever you are watching in the world and I look forward to discussing it with you all tomorrow.
Go Arsenal!
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13 comments for “Injuries pile up for Arsenal’s season opener - huge opportunity for Ramsey, Denilson and Djourou”
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Sounds interesting… Where is the Wednesday Poll Spanish? I hope the kids will do alright tonight. And the key players like Cesc will not be out for too too long.
WE need to sign a midfielder, we are too short in midfield. Cesc is out and so is Diaby which leaves Denilson and Ramsey! They maybe good players, but they shouldnt be playing as arsenals 1st choice, we need back up, what happens if Denilson or Ramsey gets suspended or injured…
I 2nd that jay but how about something different like…..
Almunia
Sagna djourou gallas clichy
Eboue Denilson walcott
Ade
Rvp Behtner
Bet you are all wondering wtf but ade can hold the ball up so well and can pass or even do the ol fab thing and play link up play pretty well for a big guy and rvp has the pace and the big dane has the musscle and it’s a big plus for corners as rvp will be taking them no doubt never going to happen though but don’t forget denilson played a lot so far in pre season and will be a little bit tired towards the end and then bring on ramsey…. Still whatever the line up I’m predicting 2-0 to the Arsenal…
Also we could go for Cahill as he not to bad and I’m surprised he’s still at Everton.
AW wont play Ade behind the strikers. That is a good line-p against Twente but against the Chelsea and Man United. We need to sign a midfield. I am watching the game, so i will see how well Denilson and Ramsey do.
I have to say, that ain’t a top class midfield! Argh…I’m very frustrated.
Hmm! What is the entire team gets injured?!? while we are at it, why don’t we just buy a new team?!?!
If our injured players borrow a Fabianski and two more players, they would make a first team capable of chalenging for the prem.
The point here is some of the ommissions are precautionary at best and we not unlikely to face ManU or Chelski with just the team we have fielded today. If Ramsey were to get a good run in the CL, who else would you rather him line against??? Barcelona?, Real Madrid?!?!? No thanks, FC Twente will do just fine. I seem to remember a quite a few fans here including Ramsey in their first XI and I fail to understand what the fuss is about! Is it Denilson people don’t like? Since when being “too similar to Fabregas” as most would say, be a BAD thing?!?!?!?!?
We were very lucky tonight and I’ve always liked almunia and he did well just wish he would bollock his players more instead of being to nice to them. Gallas did say he was going to change this season and by the looks of it he’s been watching Adams old games just hoofing the ball upfield every chance he got but a lucky goal though. Eboue was crap again but when he went over to the lm he was reborn and played really well but the theatrics are still there and yelling at wilkshires face and trying to get him booked is not needed. Arsne please go and buy there cb douglas as he was awesome and wouldn’t cost too much. Still not the best game but at least we got the result and that’s all that matters really and it’s just a pity bendtner didn’t come on earlier as his only real touch nearly got a goal. BUT the main point is we defiently need another cm as that was plain to see.
Lets be fair we all know all Arsenal creative work comes mostly from midfield and in this game everything came down the flanks and why? because our midfield was not functioning at all and created absolutely nothing yes nothing.Mclaren the Brolly told his players to crowd the midfield and harass our midfielders off every ball and Also kicked them whenever its possible combine these tactics with 2 inexperienced midfielders who hardly played with each other and you have a problem. However things did improve in the second half and Denilson got in the action a bit more with some hard tackles. I have to give Credit the man who no one likes and that is Eboue he worked the flank so hard and gave their defenders some problems which led to the free kick for the goal
Butter-Gallas Hoofing the ball highlights my point he lost faith in our midfielders when they keeped losing the ball and create nothing.Don’t you just miss Fabregas? he is the main man who links up the play and make it work.When he is missing we look really disjointed.We won and that’s the main thing and I’m sure Ramsey and Denilson will improve as they get more games.
this is the reason i miss fabregas and if Nasri was fit, he could have given a name 4 himself tonight. Lucky Gallas goal, Good work from Theo for Ades goal and i told you i like Eboue, he worked hard tonight. 2 away goals, Champo League looks certain.
“AW is a cunning Fox” or something to that effect that was writen some days back.(of course this is my theory(conspiracy-not)).
We lost Diara because according to him he was promised first team action and didn’t get much. What if Le Proffeseur promised the same to Ramsey to win him over ManU?? Now that he has a first team start at the highest level(CL) he can’t complain about chances, can he???? Starting the very first competitive game of the season and it is Champions league!!!!
It was a game AW could afford to experiment and still come out with a win. So chill out gooners we haven’t lost Cesc and I believe Denilson’s re-tooling from a Frabregasesque to Gilbertoesque is going very well. Although I favour Diaby in that position, I think he might have let it slip once again. and this season could be Denilson and Eboue’s redemption/cementing their credentials. Eboue could make THE best DM in the WORLD. His skill-set is better than any DM I can think of and he is not afraid to take one for the team.
Though I didn’t watch the match but from the report, it’s obvious that we didn’t find our rythm on time. We could count oursleves lucky that the game wasn’t against a highly performing team. Not with the bundle of injured players that we are starting the season with. I must point out here that our players need to ensure that they keep themselves clean from injury if the silverware is our target this season. With Wenger not willing to spend to get experienced players this summer, the task is gonna be tough but I believe we’ve got what it takes to wrest the cup from the ‘Manures’ (ManU).
Here are some comments from other fora that I got:
Arsenal must sit up or ‘No silverware again this season!’
(A)
The only thing Arsenal will win with that team is best groundsman….for the lush green pitch @ the Emirates…and the winner of that trophy the groudsman is not part of the squad. In fact, he might just be replaced by Mr Wenger when he realizes he is too old.
Yesterday, Xavi Alonso became cup tied. Gareth Barry, Micah Ricahrds and plenty more will be tonight, tell me, where is he going to get experienced players to buy? He will go and buy an uknown and give him 6 months to adapt. Its only Mr. wenger that replaces a world class player like flamini with some1 that has never played football Biscorf or whateverhis name is. See the way Sir Alex begged Ronaldo to stay, we didnt do anything to keep Flamini.
Any1 who saw the match yesterday will tell that were Twente managed by a man who knows anything about football, they would have sealed their place yesterday. There was no midfield for Arsenal period. It is only in Arsenal that a player like Eboue can claim to be indispensable. Just look @ Liverpool’s bench yesterday. There is a guy called O’shea in Utd, Silvestre, Cushack, Fletcher, Park, Saha…world class players that come in when some 1 is injured and do the job. I dont even want to mention Chelsea. When Pa Gallas got injured yesterday, i started warming up…thats how bad the bench is @ Arsenal. Half of our 1st team is always injured.
When you fail to prepare….u are preparing to fail….Blesseth are those who expect nothing…4 they shall never be disappointed!
(B)
From my own honest analysis,we may end up this season the way we ended up last season,you will all agree with me that lack of benc and tired legs cost us the the EPL and CL last season.With what they played yesterday,i am afraid.What if these injuries crop up during mid season and takes out valuable players for 6-8 weeks,who will stand out Ramsey,wilshare,randall,gibbs or Barazite.just who?teams are fortifying all units strongly by having 2-3 experienced players in each department,prof is promoting from youth to senior team.Jose Morinho rightly sumed the situation up by saying arsenal players are too young to vie for any title.
Only God and prof knows about this his philosophy,groom these boys 2-3 years and other clubs just snap them up when they have become experienced and you start from the scratch again.just how long.Well i hope this turns out positive as we are stuck with Arsenal for life.
(C)
Just finished watching what is supposed to be arsenal fc and man I can’t see how we can win the league…honestly…it will be the 8th wonder…greater than all the 7 out together. What the hell is Eboue doing playing on the left. Our hearts in mouth everytime some 1 goes down cos there is nothing on the bench…all because we have a miser @ the helm…may God help us…
Arsenal has being a great club with world class young players.i only want wenger to comprehend that he needs a good midfeilder to pear fabrigas.please win a trophy or more for we this season.Arsenal has being my club since 1996 and it`s has done me proud.but don`t repeat what happened last season.i love uuuu my fellow Arsenal fanssssssssss.