Wenger plans adjusments with Campbell set for break
Arsene Wenger is likely to field a centre-back partnership of Alex Song and Mikael Silvestre next weekend.
The Arsenal boss had been doing without the services of William Gallas on Saturday as he was hampered with the sending-off Thomas Vermaelen against West Ham.
One man who has softened the blow for Arsenal in defense is January signing Sol Campbell, and while hope is that the English veteran continues to fill the void at centre-back, Wenger has voiced his concerns over the 35-year-old’s fitness.
Thus, the manager plans to hand Campbell a rest next week.
“I hope it won’t be a problem but we cannot continue to lose centre-backs, that is for sure. You cannot have six centre-backs at a football club because that doesn’t make sense.” Wenger said
“So at the moment we don’t have Gallas and today we have lost Vermaelen. Sol Campbell was outstanding but to repeat the games could become a problem for him so I think I have to give him a big holiday next week to recover. He is very important to us and I think it was a very good signing.”
Should Campbell sit out the visit to Birmingham City next Saturday, Mikael Silvestre will inevitably be involved and Wenger may prefer Alex Song to continue his role as make-shift centreback.
“I think he was absolutely outstanding. It looked so easy to him to play in this position. I know he can play there, but he was outstanding in midfield earlier in the game. I have no fear to continue with him at centre-back.” the manager said.
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Sometimes we just have to make do with the best that is available. Hope that whoever Wenger choose to play as center backs in the absence of the regulars will do a good job. I believe many will not doubt the ability of Song playing in that role but as for Silvestre,I hope that his critics will give him a break and have faith in him cos’ we wont know, a surprise might just be in store for us.Go Arsenal Go!!!
Brilliant post, Kidz!
Come on you Gunners!!
Silvest the best!!!
Thanks Randy.
Lets just hope our attack is firing…
Karlos!
Looking forward to your Match Reaction.
my back 4 is
eboue sagna song clichy
what do u think??
I think that playing people out of position in real life doesn’t work as well as it does in football manager games. Sorry.
I just worry about Silvestre in the team. He always looks like an accident waiting to happen & his presence in the side has frequently seen daft goals conceded. The answer regarding Silvestre is in the question …….. Would Fergie sell Arsenal a player who would be an asset for us ??
Silvestre is already an asset cus he has play in games dat we won both at left back & centre half & he would help us beat Birminghan.Does dat answer ur question?
@robm sagna can play as a cb with song theres no prob plus ebpue was solid today
No problems with Eboue, not convinced that Sagna can play at CB. More to the point it seems lé boss isn’t convinced either or we’d have seen him there before now.
Either way, Sagna + Song at CB with Sagna and Clichy in the fullback positions means playing two players out of position at CB with two attacking fullbacks aside them? Doesn’t sound great to me. I think Song there alongside an established player would be fine, i’d be willing to risk sagna there alongisde an established player if we had to but both at once is just too much imho.
If we must, Song can pair Silvestre, who is not as bad as most fans’ posts suggest. He had a shaky start after return from injury but has been a good back up since. His only weakness is the lack of pace which he covers for in positioning and timed clearances/blocks. He will surprise a few of us if he plays against B’ham. In any case, we can only support him now, or have two defenders playing out of position.
birmingham dont score many goals anyway. silvestre will do just fine. what is equally worrying is the loss of song in midfield because this will be a tough game. its now very important diaby is fit.
Hey nzgunner, where have you been? Glad you are here again.
he’s got to play song alongside big solman at birmingham-otherwise benitez who is a nippy little bugger will destroy sylvester the cat-play sol & song at brum & then the verminator & song against barca who are not physical as opposed to those dirty b’stards brum-who alex mcleish will send out to maim us on behalf of his old jock chum beelzelbub..
hey kidz been here lol to lazy to type hehe
Nice to see you again, NZ. 🙂
lol thank randy
play Diaby and Song in central defence.