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Will our squad ever be at full strength?
- Thread starter CKD39
- Start date
- Replies 35
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KY
Established Member
So who exactly "IS" our first eleven? I got the core basically down but who's the third central midfielder? Denilson, Diaby or Ramsey? And who's the official first choice winger on the right if Arshavin is on the left?
Country: USA
Player:Saliba
The problem we have is that our squad players are in the main, developing players with a lot to prove as opposed to known quantities who can step in and maintain a similar performance level so we feel injuries to firs team players much more. We've suffered injuries throughout Wenger's reign but it was never felt as much because the likes of Edu, Parlour, Kanu, Keown, Wiltord, v.Bronckhorst etc. were all benchwarmers with significant amounts of experience both at club and International level.
When we lost Pires for pretty much the title run in of 2001-2, Wiltord came in on the right and Ljungberg switched to the left, and we went on to win the double without our performance dipping. When we lost Gilberto for a massive chunk of the invicibles season Edu came in and played consistently well.
When we lost Pires for pretty much the title run in of 2001-2, Wiltord came in on the right and Ljungberg switched to the left, and we went on to win the double without our performance dipping. When we lost Gilberto for a massive chunk of the invicibles season Edu came in and played consistently well.
True Gooner
Established Member
Big Poppa said:
Yeah - that's a good point. We'ved lack more experienced heads in the past - however I think we've addressed that issue to an extent seeing as the likes of Rosicky, Eduardo and Eboue are not our starting 11 players.
Although, I don't mean to knit pick but I disagree with your examples: we didn't lose Gilberto in 03/04. He missed the 04/05 season through injury and while we did lose Pires to that cruciate ligament injury he had already played 45 games (28 in the league) which is a lot more games than RvP (3 times), Fabregas, Walcott, Henry, Cole etc played during their various injury spells.
Captain
Established Member
I would take our current squad players over almost all of those players named.
KY
Established Member
I'd hardly use Eboue as an example of an experienced head....but then...each to his own. 
Country: USA
Player:Saliba
I would too Captain, but only because I'm fairly certain that our current players are better than those mentioned above at the same stage of their career, not because they are more effective and reliable. The ideal is ofcourse, when you can strike a balance between the two.
Country: USA
Player:Saliba
True Gooner said:
haha its fine to nitpick mate, only if you let me nitpick back
I'm going off memory here but I thought Bert got injured right before our away game at Anfield when Pires scored that stunner (Edu got the first goal), then when Bert came back he couldn't get his place in the side from Edu and Wenger bizarrely chose to play him as a right winger in place of the injured Ljungberg (remember that win at Stamford Bridge?). Pires did his cruciate right after the Villa away game, which I remember was in March as I was on holiday watching
We still had several tough games after that to clinch the title but I guess you could argue we'd gained considerable momentum to that point.
Floating
Established Member
I don't any club, big or small, often has a "full strength" squad. It's a rare occurrence, and it's not just our club.
Player:Tomiyasu
Wrong. We were at full strength for most part of the invincible season
KY
Established Member
Clrnc said:
yeah that's true. But it seems like we've moved on from that era. I don't think I can really name a strongest first 11 for any of the top 4 clubs. Since abramovich came, depth has become such a talked about issue that i don't think any club can name a real first 11. Even Mourinho only had 8 players he considered untouchables in his chelsea squad.
Zico
Established Member
Given that we never have a fully healthy squad for an extended period of time, it is difficult to say what our actual strongest 11 is. Maybe we have already played our strongest possible line-up this year, and just don't realize it because injuries have prevented us from seeing all our players together.
Whatever the case, I noted that it's the same players year after year who are injured for long periods, namely Rosicky, van Persie, Walcott, Diaby, Clichy. I wouldn't be averse to getting rid of two or three of these guys. It's like running a factory with a bunch of machines we know will always be down.
Whatever the case, I noted that it's the same players year after year who are injured for long periods, namely Rosicky, van Persie, Walcott, Diaby, Clichy. I wouldn't be averse to getting rid of two or three of these guys. It's like running a factory with a bunch of machines we know will always be down.
TomasCR
Established Member
Good avatar Zico, looks like the little cat is quite pissed off!
Burnwinter
Established Member
Empirically speaking only 2-3 of them will be fit at any given time, on average. You could chart it. It is a problem, and I don't think it is being factored into squad planning with an adequate degree of realism.Zico said:
Take RvP's injury. Ruptured ankle ligaments cause recurring injury problems. Once healed those ligaments will remain weak for years, probably the rest of his life. Will he be counted as 1.0 players or some fraction less than 1 in Wenger's 2010-11 plans?
