2014/15 English Premier League

[chilon]

There isn't such thing as squeaky clean player in football. As KoH noticed football is contact sport . Fouls and tackles made in game differs from Sanchez clear agression. You can see how he swang his hand. There is no doubt about intention to hit Ivanovic.

Not much of a punch really. Ill take a "punch" like that any time over Ivanovic's vicious elbows. to me it looked more like Sanchez was trying to grab Ivanovic's shirt than punch him but I might not have seen the angle you did...

On the other hand,when I closely looked foul on Benteke last year, you can see that Ivanovic eyes were set on ball and that he hadn't intention to harm opponent player. It simply happened accidentally and that's why he got yellow card for being careless.

Accidentally? nonsense. Ivanovic doesn't have to see Benteke to know where he is as their bodies were touching and Ivanovic completely leads with his elbow as he knows Benteke is there before they jumped for the ball.

To me Ivanovic's elbow looks a lot more vicious than what Sanchez did.

And Ivanovic is usually in the top 10 in yellows and reds so clearly he fouls more than the average defender and is definitely not as "clean as a right back can be" as you claimed.

[Halie Satanus]

Well it's ligament damage isn't it? He never had that problem before coming to Arsenal. I think you just overplay/overtrain your players.

I'd agree Ozil was being overplayed last season but 7-10 games into this one (bearing in mind he came back late from the WC) can hardly be called excessive.

[Ybbon]

They have realised there is some issue and are trying to address it, but clearly it is not something that can be solved overnight. It's probably a combination of training, playing when injured, training surface and at the Emirates. Bear in mind the massive change in all of English football that Wenger effectively instituted by proper diet, fitness, no smoking, and basically looking after yourself as a player, it is unlikely he has turned into an indolent slob and letting the players under train now.

That and all the other teams are out to get us : we need an enforcer - you smack my players, I'll get you back. So how many mids have we got now? Wilshere probably due another injury too.

[Kawee]

Midfield is the one department we have decent depth. Even without Ozil, a midfield of Sanchez, Ox, Wilshere, and Cazorla, with Arteta/Flamini behind should still be expected to do well.

[Halie Satanus]

Arteta is out and Wenger plays 5 in midfield. Ozil's injury could still prove to have a silver lining, Cazorla is better in that role and can switch with Sanchez and OX. He could even move Wilshire forward and put Ox in the holding role, his pace should keep him honest. Wally should be back after the international break and (cough) Diaby is fit.. There's also Rosicky and Pod, though Wenger doesn't seem keen on starting with either of them these days.

[Ferdiad]

Ox in the holding role doesn't seem like it's a good idea...don't think he's disciplined enough.

[Halie Satanus]

Ox in the holding role doesn't seem like it's a good idea...don't think he's disciplined enough.

With Flamini behind him when he breaks. But yeh, it's not an ideal pairing..

[LestaT]

[Knight of Heaven]

Im like that with red.
Im serious you should see the tantrums i do. what grown man dares to wear red.. its so gay, Specialy with a white blend in it.

[Kawee]

Welbeck possibly injured, having been subbed off in the England game. Thank God, I was starting to worry he isn't Arsenal material. He's one of us now.

[Azog 150]

Liverpool have suffered this international break also. Lovren is inured, as is Markovic. As Shkho was injured the other week as well, that leaves only Kolo Toure and Skrtel in central defence next weekend, and possibly against Real Madrid as well. I think that might be our record of never having conceded a goal against Real Madrid going out of the window...

On the plus side Sturridge is back (oh how we've missed him) as are Joe Allen and Emre Can.

[Halie Satanus]

Hogson claims Welbeck is fine after check up.. I expect the Arsenal medics to find he's lost a leg before Hull on the weekend.

[Ferdiad]

I expect arsenal medics to amputate his leg.

[Ybbon]

Daily Fail has a story about Ozil leaving in January for cut price... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...llion-bid.html

[Ferdiad]

He tweeted about it and said nope.

[Halie Satanus]

If it was true, IF. I'd bite the hand off Bayern. £30m for Ozil would be a decent price in Jan and 'IF' Wenger went and forced Sporting's hand for Carvalho..... Before the Mancs or the Chavs get in there.

[Ybbon]

Given he will be injured until about then, it does seem unlikely, but yeah can't see him fitting, Wenger seems to want to play Ozil out wide and he doesn't have the pace for that. It would be interesting to see how he does with Walcott in the same team, but as one seems to be injured when the other plays we may never find out.

Odd time to run the story which doesn't lend too much credence to it, even if Ozil does deny it - not sure I believe what players say on twitter any more than I trust chairman saying they've got full confidence in their manager either.

[Treva ★]

With managers it's the same as with troubled ministers: the more their bosses insist on how much confidence they have in them, the closer you know they are to a premature exit.

[Knight of Heaven]

With managers it's the same as with troubled ministers: the more their bosses insist on how much confidence they have in them, the closer you know they are to a premature exit.

Indeed. When a Boss talks like that in public, its usualy a warning.

[Kawee]

Except for Wenger. He won't ever get fired. Even when his contract was running out, he was the one who said, "it is not yet time, we focus on the football first." The board, and later, Gazidis/Stan, have offered him contracts.

It'll be a real test of our club when he leaves. Although, having seen a lot of overhaul lately (scouting, academy, fitness, etc) I think Gazidis is doing a great job of laying the groundwork, so that when Wenger leaves, he'll only leave a technical vacuum in the first team.