While the fans are still basking in the euphoria of yet another FA Cup victory (the Gunners haven’t lost in the competition since 2013), there’s the business of the Premier League to look forward too as Arsene Wenger’s side visit Anfield to take on a Liverpool side that is stricken with injuries, to the extend the manager, Jurgen Klopp, had to recall a couple of players from their respective loan spells so that they could feature in the game against Exeter.
Arsene Wenger rotated his squad for the Sunderland game with the likes of Calum Chambers, Kieran Gibbs, Alex Iwobi, Joel Campbell and Gabriel Paulista getting some first team action. Unlike David Ospina that was unavailable due to a groin problem, Matt Debuchy was fully fit and available for selection but he spent 90 minutes on the dugout while Hector Bellerin earned the plaudits for two well-taken assists.
The French defender arrived at the club from Newcastle and was touted as the ideal replacement for his departed compatriot, Bacary Sagna, but he endured an injury-ravaged campaign as he suffered a nasty ankle injury, recovered from it, then suffered a dislocated shoulder following a shove from Marko Arnautovic when the Gunners hosted Stoke. In his absence, Bellerin grew from strength to strength to become an indispensable member of the team. Since Debuchy’s return to full fitness, he has fallen behind the pecking order to Bellerin and instead of working hard to win his place in the team, he resorted to moaning and whining,
“I’m waiting to talk to the boss, we talked earlier in the season on the subject. I have to accept the competition [from Bellerin] at the moment. But currently, I need playing time. It’s clear that I need to talk again with the boss.
“I’ll look at the offers to move. “I love England and the football here, but why not return to France. In the summer Wenger told me we’d talk if I was not happy with my situation in December. It is now December.
“Of course I would be disappointed not to make the Euros, it’s probably my last chance to play in such a situation.”
As expected, there are a couple of clubs interested in Debuchy’s services with Aston Villa, West Brom and AS Roma all hoping to sign the player this window. It seems as if Debuchy is going to get his wish as Arsene Wenger has granted the player the permission to leave in January,
“[Debuchy] has an opportunity to go, yes, but he has not been in touch with any club”
With Debuchy given the go-ahead to leave, Chambers would assume the role of Bellerin’s deputy, which essentially means that his football education as a holding midfielder will soon be over.
Speaking of holding midfielder, Arsenal is on the verge of signing Mohamed Elneny from FC Basel. A fee of around £7 million was agreed between both parties and the Egyptian midfielder successfully completed his medicals but the only challenge left was securing a work permit for the lad. The rule books had some clauses that didn’t favor the player, as Egypt is currently ranked 57 in the FIFA World Rankings, which meant their rankings weren’t high enough for the player to be granted a work permit but Arsenal has appealed for a ‘special dispensation’ for the deal to go through.
Hey, they should give him the ‘exceptional talent work permit’ that a certain Ryo Miyaichi got when he wanted to join the club after officially passing his trials. The young Jap is currently in German division 2 outfit, St. Pauli, and he hasn’t enough made his debut yet for the club.
With Coquelin is out injured, having Elneny would be a big plus for the club and I hope the club sorts things out quickly.
Sayonara.
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