Thursday 11 October 2012

Why I Welcomed This Interlull | The Squad Gets Deeper After The Break


I usually hate the international break with the kind of passion that I only reserve for bad breath and BO but this time I welcomed it with a loving bear hug and hoped to hibernate for the two weeks that it will last.

I welcomed the break because I saw Gibbs limp off against West Ham last Saturday and after watching his replacement, Santos for the rest of the game I was convinced that he isn't the ideal cover for Gibbs. I really am fond of that cheerfully disposed Brazillian but whatever else Andre Santos may bring to the team, defending isn't one of them. I will be glad to see Gibbs back, fit and ready to man that left-back position; the international break will afford him time to rest and get back to first team duties. He was on England's list for their two games during the international break but that injury against West Ham put paid to that.


I felt Arteta needed a break after passing a late fitness test against Olympiakos in midweek and lining out later at the weekend against West Ham. He's going on 31 and has a history with injuries so two weeks of lying back and scratching his balls all day will do his body a lot of good. He's pivotal to our aspirations this season and I hate to admit that I'm thankful he's one less injury worry during the international breaks.

Diaby should have recovered from his most recent injury layoff by the time the international break is over. We would all have been worried about his getting injured playing for France instead we will be welcoming him back fresh and ready to bounce. No one can argue that the team just seems to have much more balance with him playing than when he's not. I look forward to having him back.

I welcomed the break because Jack Wilshere should be much closer to lining out for the first team for the first time in fourteen months after playing for the Under 21s twice in the past two weeks. He looks quite close to a comeback going by reports from his team mates and the manager. We've waited fourteen months for this one.

I welcomed the break because Sagna, Frimpong, Rosicky, and Szczesny will all be closer to a return to first team duties after really lengthy injury lay-offs as well.

Wilshere, Diaby, Sagna, Rosicky, Szczesny and Frimpong all back in the team at the same time! Digest that! Talk about options!

This is why I welcomed the international break for once. But of course, my being receptive to this particular break hinges on the assumption that everyone who goes away to play for their country comes back without injury. Last night, there was a massive scare as word filtered out via Twitter that Koscielny had been seriously injured while training with the French national team.
I started on what this bit of news portends for Arsenal in the coming weeks. Kos being laid off means the debate over who should be our first choice center-back pairing is over even before it has started. Per and Vermaleen will be automatic first choice with Djourou and Squillacci for cover. *groan*

That groan must have been heard in France as better news filtered through a couple of hours later confirming the injury wasn't as bad as it was first thought.
So it was just a scare. Hopefully we don't get any more of those during the break and everyone comes back injury-free to join the guys who are making their way back from injury. Oh, what a squad we'll have at the end of the interlull.

The best laid plans of mice and men.....



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6 comments:

  1. Really the best laid plans of Wenger and Gazidis

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  2. Never gonna happen. Everyone fit and available. Never gonna happen

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  3. Wake up from that dream, Lalah

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  4. lookng forward to Jack and Sagna's return. sagna has a fight on his hand though, Jenks aint letting that shirt go without a fight

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  5. Sagna -twice named best RB in the EPL. Jenks has come good but a fit Sagna will be an automatic start and rightly so. Jenks still needs to do some understudying

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  6. That's right. The best laid plans of mice and men!

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Naija End Gooner