I’m glad to see Arsene Wenger dropping those who haven’t performed well enough in recent weeks and giving those on the bench a shot to prove their worth.
Wojciech Szczesny and Thomas Vermaelen have simply not been good enough as of late, with both making fundamental errors in some crucial games this season. As a result, they have not featured since the loss to Spurs two weeks ago, and Lukasz Fabianksi and Laurent Koscielny have taken their chance with both hands.
Since Szczesny and Vermaelen have been out of the side, we have managed to score four goals and concede none against the mighty Bayern Munich and stylish Swansea. This is not to say we are better off without them, but if you are not pulling your weight or performing to the standard required, even if you are the club captain, then Wenger should consider some changes. Thankfully, the Frenchman saw what we saw and did something about it.
What took me aback a bit was Wenger’s recent, yet accurate statement.
He told The Sun:
‘In England, it is true the captain is of massive importance.
‘But that shouldn’t guarantee you a place in any game.
‘When you don’t think it is the right selection for tactical reasons, do you put the player in just because he is captain?
‘That is disrespectful to the guy who doesn’t play. For sporting reasons it is not completely justifiable.’
I couldn’t agree more Arsene. Captaincy should not make you a guarantee starter. At the end of the day, a captain is just the same as any other player in the squad but wears a band around his arm, that’s it.
Wenger went on to say that it is now down to Vermaelen and Szczesny to win back their places:
‘Every position is up for grabs. You have to face it like that, the last game decides the next one.
‘All the players are in the same position. Nobody is guaranteed places in the team. Everybody faces the same competition.’
Hopefully this sinks in with every single player and keeps their performance levels up from now until the end of the season.
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You are absolutely right. Nobody is guaranteed aplace in the team. Then there will be no complacency.That was how Pool operated in the 70s and 80s.
Hopefully it will kick start the gunners surge now that the spuds have lost to WHU.This is a golden opportunity and if the gunners win their game in hand,the gap is a mouth watering single point.
Don’t throw away the life saver.
Check your facts the Tiny Totts lost to Fulham, Wet Sham played The Chavs
Thats putting it RIGHT ACROSS THEIR FACES!
Lets now see they account for their time on the pitch in a more critical and aggressive manner to EARN THEIR PLACE ….. its their profession!!
i hope the same applies to wilshire too. most of our worst performances have been with wilshire in the team. whilst he has not been to blame the team appears more balanced in midfield without him. arteta certainly plays better with diaby or ramsey alongside him and cazorla has more influence played in the middle instead of on the wing. a good team is not always the best players as much as we all want szcesney vermaelen sagna wilshire and podolski in the starting line up we might have to face facts that the team is better without them. kos and per are a bit like tv5 and jd who also work well together. i think wilshire is better suited to playing the cazorla role or alongside a natural dm like coquelin or frimpong.
It’s about time Wenger got tough with his players after years of covering for them in public and handling them with kid gloves. Blaming the lack of results on bad refereeing , fixture congestion , or bad luck. Wenger is a man of many qualities , not the least of which is his loyalty to his players , but he lacks a bit of ruthlessness needed to succeed. There is of course the other side to this , if you are going to compete in four different competitions as Arsenal have, you have to make sure there is enough quality in the side to rotate the squad, and I’m not sure Arsenal have that.
What a load of codswallop, Diaby plays, Alumina was poor for years, so was Senderos,Bendtner,Denilson, all the deadwood that the despot Wenger signed got to play lots of times and now the madman was to give the impression if you play badly you will be dropped, the comical world of Wenger, for years the team has been in decline, selling our be st players and replacing them with rubbish, if it is performance base why is the egomaniac still there as a manager he has collected 60 million in wages alone since we last won a trophy, he has turned the club into a profit driven club, we have been stalemate for eight years, excuse, excuses and still the deluded AKBs worship the ground he walks on
you poor kid, mummy put away your toys again, didnt she. awwww