Colin Lewin and Gary O’Driscoll
“The Arsenal medical staff are interfering with transfers.” As a headline that is pretty damning, suggesting that the medical staff are deliberately affecting the transfer business of Arsene Wenger. That’s not the truth, but it’s a half truth.
Arsene Wenger confirmed in December that more than one signing was likely. A few weeks later it was New Years and at that time Mohamed Elneny was building up his fitness with Sam Wilson (Academy Strength and Conditioning Coach). Arsenal were looking to be without a few key players for a couple of months and rumours continued to swirl that Granit Xhaka and Lars Bender were linked to the club. I had heard that Havard Nordveit was possibly coming back as well. These rumours were all logical but never confirmed by Wenger (he never does though).
Sam Wilson
While Arsenal did have scouts at Monchengladbach matches this really is not saying very much as Arsenal have had scouts running around Germany all season. Arsenal have also been dipping into the resources with agencies and scouting firms for intel too. These players the club has been scouting are unlikely to join Arsenal this window. That said, the original plan was surely for these players to arrive in the summer, if they arrived at all. There was not enough solid data this season to support making a decision for one of those three right now as Leverkusen and Monchengladbach have struggled at various points. Any decision to buy them was more due to squad depth than anything, and the medical staff have changed that outlook for Wenger.
Francis Coquelin, Tomas Rosicky and Danny Welbeck are back in various forms. Even Wilshere is making strides on the training pitches. As Coquelin is ahead of schedule and Arsenal’s challenge after Chelsea is minimal (save Leicester), the manager is no longer forced into a move. The transfers that Arsenal need to push Arteta out and likely Flamini as well will be halted until the summer time. We may still be forced to see Arteta come on to negative effect (Remember West Brom in November?).
Back so soon?
Arsenal’s medical staff are affecting the decision making of Wenger in the transfer window. It seems to be the one time that they are doing their best is the time when a little haste is needed on Wenger’s part. While I am thrilled to see Coquelin back, one injury to him and I’m tempted to hit the panic button. Chambers and Flamini are not the ones I want to rely on late in the season, especially May 7th at City when the title is on the line.
Cheers,
Morgan
Our thanks to returning guest Morgan who is the Chair of Arsenal Canada and writes a referee blog that is available every Friday called the Third Yellow
The role of the medical staff at Arsenal is a topical issue because of the number of injuries we suffer on an ongoing basis. There has been much speculation as to the cause – something in the training regime, the extra good quality of the training pitch, flaws in the examination process at time of signing. But it is just speculation. No one with expertise and authority has pronounced. Now there is more speculation that medical staff “are deliberately affecting the transfer business of Arsene Wenger”. If I am right and it is just speculation does it assist and is it informed? Arsene is always intentionally vague about transfers; there are always rumours about players coming in and now we hear there might be a return of Nordveit.. And more because we are also informed that Arsenal “are dipping into the resources with agencies”.
All this is a long way from the conclusion that “Arsenal’s medical staff are affecting the decision making of Wenger in the transfer window”. Sorry if I sound critical especially about a fellow guest writer – and there is a tendency for all writers to be guilty of conjecture heaped onto hypothesis linked to supposition joined at the hip with surmise and attached to musings. It happens. But too many “maybe’s” are not good. One point though – I very much doubt that Wenger will “rush” anyone back. He has been bitten by the Sanchez episode and the hamstrings to Theo, the Ox and Ramsey. The run-in will be tight all the way to the end and dropped points here can be made up with returning players there so do not rush them back. Every match is a six pointer.
As a past referee I am interested in Morgan’s Third Yellow. Where can I read todays issue? Graham of Arsenal Circular
The Third Yellow can be found here http://www.premierpunditry.com/2016/01/third-yellow-complaints-no-accountability/
Enjoy.