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Team News: Wenger Confirms Double Injury Blow Ahead Of Bayern

By on March 10, 2014

Arsenal have been handed a double injury blow ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.

Boss Arsene Wenger confirmed on Monday that Kieran Gibbs has failed to make the trip after picking up an ankle problem during the closing minutes of Saturday’s 4-1 FA Cup win over Everton, although he does have a chance of making Sunday’s North London Derby.

It’s a huge blow as with Nacho Monreal also missing, we’re now without both our left-backs, and it leaves Wenger with a dilemma on who to start against the reigning European champions. The favourite is probably Thomas Vermaelen, as the Belgian is capable of moving across to left-back, but he’ll severely inhibit the attacking side of our game. For that reason, I’d prefer to see Bacary Sagna switch to the left with Carl Jenkinson coming in on the right.

There has been some good news with the boss also revealing that Laurent Koscielny is back in the squad after recovering from a minor hamstring injury that kept him out at the weekend. The Frenchman is almost certain to reclaim his place alongside Mertesacker.

Here’s what Arsene told Arsenal.com:

on the team news…

We have lost Kieran Gibbs from the squad on Saturday with an ankle problem. Laurent Koscielny is back in the squad, so the only change in the squad is Koscielny for Gibbs.

on Vermaelen playing at left back…

That is a possibility.

on the north London derby…

Gibbs has a chance for Sunday.

It was also reported in the newspapers on Monday afternoon that young striker Yaya Sanogo has also failed to make the trip to Germany with an unspecified injury, although Arsene didn’t make any mention of it in his official team news update on Arsenal.com.

It means that Nicklas Bendtner is now likely to be Olivier Giroud’s back-up for the game on Tuesday night, with the Frenchman certain to return to the starting line-up having come off the bench to score two against Everton.

Who do you think should start at left-back? What team would you start?

9 Comments

  1. Anyama Ernest Ugonna.

    March 11, 2014 at 1:31 am

    Pls play and as many goals as possible. what is podolski problem

    Reply

  2. young_gunnerz

    March 11, 2014 at 3:12 am

    Yup the defender who became the leagues top scoring defender would hamper us going forward. Vermaelen plays LB for belgium and had to do so for Ajax on many occasions. I believe he would be the best option at LB. Sagna is strictly right footed and even when on the right side he struggles to put in a decent cross into the box. Not sure what would make Sagna more qualified that Vermaelen at LB

    Reply

  3. Slimz

    March 11, 2014 at 9:37 am

    Dat aint gona b a problem n wiit verminator our chances of winning bayern will b biggers

    Reply

  4. babs

    March 11, 2014 at 10:18 am

    i really believ on d VERMILATOR d guy can do it.

    Reply

  5. Harry Barracuda

    March 11, 2014 at 11:26 am

    Silly idea to put Sagna on the left.

    Reply

  6. Abu Rahman

    March 11, 2014 at 12:01 pm

    Perhaps, this is another chance for the Verm to gain the much needed match fitness he requires to “gatecrash” into the first eleven

    Reply

  7. Abdulmutallab salihu

    March 11, 2014 at 1:24 pm

    Iam against the idear of playing sagna at the LB and jekinson at the RB.Come on Wenger,play vermalean at the LB and sagna at the RB.

    Reply

  8. Agbesuyi Francis

    March 11, 2014 at 5:03 pm

    I support d motion, verminator@LB n sagna RB

    Reply

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