Wenger: Being able to rotate will strengthen the squad
By Jonathan Chong on Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Manager Arsène Wenger believes that if players are being rotated, they will undoubtedly get more playing time and this helps develop their game.
Speaking after the 1-0 win against West Brom on the opening day of the season, Wenger said: "Not only do we make results but we develop players as well.
"At the start of the season it's always very difficult to assess how good [players like] Denilson and Johan Djourou will be. They can only develop if they play.
"It's a tricky situation. People want to see big names and they want to see good young players as well."
However, midfield maestro Francesc Fabregas is currently injured and many Arsenal fans feel that the squad is weaker without the Spaniard.
But the manager disagrees, saying that Fabregas' absence will help the squad be more resourceful.
He added: "I believe that, when everyone is sharp, we will have much more invention, but you always want a player like Fabregas to be in there because he gives you the quality of the pass.
"He should be fit for the second Champions League game [against FC Twente on August 27]."
User Comments
13Jeganathan
Posted on 24 Aug, 2008 at 06:09 AM - Reply
I appreciate what Wenger is aiming for but the players attitude should improve rather play as a team. I noticed Ade has totally switched off and during the game I also noticed that he is not making any serious attempts to reach for a goal. The environment clearly shows that RVP and ADE are to communicating at all. The defence is working so hard and was very frustrated the way the front line is responding to every clearance made. Have you noticed that Toure was so agreable with me, he even took the opportunity to go forward to attacking situation. The mid field is so open and there was very little attempt by the two strikers to use thier experience to help. Mr. Wenger has to move fast and do the necessary to add the extra punch in the mid field. Soon the defence will even start giving up if the front line do not have the extra streching attitude by going for every opportunity to move forward and keep attacking the opponents defence. Ade does not do that and why is'nt that happening if he claims to be the best for a higher wage to be paid. He has to show by example so that the young and inexperienced mid field will follow. We have a very experienced attack line and very very experienced defence and big hole in the mid field. It very heart breaking when we should be taking advantage over teams like Fulham, but come back loosers. The back line is fantastic and very consistant. Believe me I noticed some frustration shown by Clichy. He is a wonderfull player and works very hard. The only thing that will motivate anly team is putting the ball in the opponents net but it is not happening in this historic team. Mr. Wenger, what happened here Ade is still not happy with salary ? Wake up CHAMPIONS do not behave like this !!!!
12Paul
Posted on 21 Aug, 2008 at 03:39 AM - Reply
Last Season was just bad luck. Manchester Won many games in controvasial penalities one I believe having fagarson for so many years in the FA has a role to play with thier win. But they won, we come in 3rd. Some are blaming Adebayor some Wenger and some the lack of experienced players. Let me say this season we have at least 2 players per position. Adebayor is doing better than Henry if you contrast his performance on the 3rd season. Wenger cannot afford to put him on bench WHY? For starters, the hard work the rangy front-man has put in since his arrival in 2006 came to fruition last season. In the League, the regularity of his strikes went from, in 2006/07, one every 3.6 appearances to one every 1.5. By comparison, more decorated Premier League marksmen like Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney notched one every 2.4 and 2.5 appearances respectively. So in his primary duty Adebayor's improvement was palpable, as was his unfaltering work-ethic. He put in the miles and was a clear advocate of the 'defending from the front' theory, making 22 tackles. That's just as well because Arsenal's No 25 had to shoulder a huge burden up front. Injuries robbed Emmanuel of a steady partner, so much so that Cesc Fabregas was second in the list of goalscoring Gunners with 13. At the peak of his powers in the Premier League Adebayor was unplayable, intertwining bulldozing power with a fleet-of-foot reminiscent of one Thierry Henry. He would stretch defences and act as a link between the forward-thrusting midfielders in the team — his tally of 209 passes eclipses those of Didier Drogba, 117, and Fernando Torres, 161. It is an old adage, and commentators often appear shocked, that 'the big man has such great feet', but that came to be expected of Adebayor. His sureness of touch often gave him a head start on defenders, and his willingness to roam the channels with or without the ball was another clear indication of a his football intelligence. He completed 53 per cent of his dribbles, a better rate than that of Torres. What is more, for a measure of what is to come you need only look at the statistics of the Club's record scorer. Henry bagged 24 League goals in his third season, the same as Adebayor just achieved in his. History tells us that was only the start.
Arsenal has experienced players like Gallas, Rosicky, Kolo, Cesc, Van Persie, look at how many apperiences this players have done for arsenal they are very experienced on the league and internationaly.
Wenger should continue let's give him another season before we shoot him down. In 2006 we were in Champions league finals is was an achievement lets not forget. But certainly last season was very disappointing after leading the league for so long and as loosing it in the end was painful.
11David
Posted on 20 Aug, 2008 at 11:58 AM - Reply
Remember this time last year, Wenger said the same thing that he believed in his young squad. And gradually he saw we were leading 5 points after Christmas, so he stayed put. Although he knew that three of our first teamers were going to the African Nation's Cup, although he knew that RVP was not available and Rosicky was injury-prone also, he still didn't buy in January.
Yes we appreciate the football and glory Wenger had brought us in the past decade, but he has to catch up with the tides, or we will always be in transition---buy young players---nurture them into worldclass---they leave after trophiless seasons.
No.9, i am surprised that Arsenal have such fans like you. If you want to live in a world without criticisms, go to kindergarten. Critics make people strive for more achievements.
IMO, if we wanted to challenge and win the EPL, we should:
1) get rid of Adebayor and buy a David Villa-like striker (Ade is so wasteful and will again cost us many games like last year, trust me.); 2) buy an experienced DM; 3) another Seaman or Lehmann; 4) hire a better physio; 5) defensive depth seems solved by capturing Silvestre.
10dee
Posted on 20 Aug, 2008 at 10:23 AM - Reply
We'll be okay just chill out
9Gooner14
Posted on 20 Aug, 2008 at 07:27 AM - Reply
The true arsenal fans, who have been supporting this team for many years will never contradict the manager. Whether he decides to buy or develop, he knows whats best for the team. If most of you will never stop complaining about our inactivity in the transfer market, i think you are supporting the wrong team!! Go for Man U, Chelsea & Liverpool. WE HATE ALL CRITICS!! WE DON'T NEED YOUR LOUD MOUTHS ABOUT TRANSFERS ALL THE TIME!
8713gooner
Posted on 20 Aug, 2008 at 06:58 AM - Reply
This time i donot agreewith Mr.Venger on his policy of rotation because there is no body to be rotated.I donot agree also that we are short of midfielders.Mr.Venger shoul know we have no attacker.Ade scores less than 1/10.He is not an instinct killer.We need an attacker.We have seen on Sat what Torres has done for Liverpool-one chance one goal.Ade scored 6 goals against the last club and not on the best ones.
7Wokich
Posted on 20 Aug, 2008 at 02:01 AM - Reply
I wanna see good young players! I'm excited to see Song return. Djourou looked like he's ready to make an impact and Denilson looked solid. We were four points off the mark last year and I think that we've got a better squad this year. The biggest benefit in having a young team is that we don't have to do anything to improve. Just about every player on the pitch will be better than they were last year. Nasri is going to score more goals than Hleb. And while I was sad to see Flamini go, I'm happy to say that there are plenty of potential replacements. We were only four points off the pace last year and are looking strong going into this one.
6cem akay
Posted on 19 Aug, 2008 at 11:24 PM - Reply
wenger you clealy have too much belief in yourself but we havent won anything for 4 years so it's obvious that not everything have gone according to the plan.
If the next season turns out to be just like the previous, then what next?
We need a balanced squad, not a squad exsisting 90% of youngsters.
We trust you but dont forget that, nothing is eternal Mr Wenger.
5mallam
Posted on 19 Aug, 2008 at 06:03 PM - Reply
wenger should be sacked
4Chimango in Leicester
Posted on 19 Aug, 2008 at 05:25 PM - Reply
It is funny that Wenger should say this because his actions on the transfer market are quite contrary to his statement. He buys players who are long term projects, players who cannot be thrown into the deep end immediately. So he ends up relying on the same eleven to sixteen players. When injury befall the team, we fail to perform and lose out. A good example is last season, when we were on the verge of the title. When the team was plagued with injury, Wenger found that he had no one to rotate into the squad. While that old fox Ferguson, Benitez and even the clueless fool Avram Grant were skillfully rotating their squads, Arsenal fans watched in frustration as the season slipped out of our hands. Perhaps someone should tell Wenger that rotation is possible when you have a deep squad, and that is something he does not have right now.
3truth hurts
Posted on 19 Aug, 2008 at 03:23 PM - Reply
wenger is WRONG, we're did he do his research to conclude we 'want to see good young players?'. He has a degree in economics and should know time is money and that the amount of time he has invested in youngsters who have not/wil not make it has cost us! we stil dont have a deputy for cesc (nasri and rosicky are more than capable but don't play that role) nor a partner for him.
2Deloren
Posted on 19 Aug, 2008 at 03:18 PM - Reply
Just Buy a few more players to strengthen the bloody squad before the transfer window ends. Dun want to repeat of last season when Arsenal had the most cash to buy and refuse and watch the season go trophyless when the injureies started mounting
1Adam Szambilo
Posted on 19 Aug, 2008 at 10:26 AM - Reply
denilson will come of age this season, traore well... we will see, he is like a yo-yo and definitely not adequate cover for gail. and bentner needs to expand his game and stop getting in front of shots destined for the net. rotation will be arsenals downfall because the lads in reserve are just not good enough
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