Manager Arsene Wenger has said he’s not planning on making wholescale changes for the FA Cup semi final against Reading this weekend.
In quotes carried by the Official Site from his pre game press conference, Wenger confirmed that we did only have two players already ruled out – Mikel Arteta who is lacking match fitness, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who has a groin injury.
Wenger also confirmed that goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny would start the game following his performance against Manchester United in the quarter finals.
‘It`s not a game that I look at as an opportunity for some individual players, it`s just an opportunity to go to the final. I will pick the team that, in my opinion, has the best chance to win the game. I`m concerned about finding a collective balance. That can include some of these players or not, but honestly, I haven`t decided who will start the game on Saturday.’
Wenger goes on to say that ‘everybody’ feels that it’s difficult to get into the side because we have been on such a good run and with that momentum you never want to make too many changes to a winning team for fear of upsetting that balance, but he does have confidence in any player that he brings in to perform and of course it’s his job to make those decisions.
‘You do not ask anybody to understand that he doesn`t play because they all deserve to play. They have to accept it and to respect the decision, that`s what you want from the players.’
In wider quotes from the press conference, he also admitted that Arsenal are ‘mathematically’ back in the title race at the moment, but he was dismissive about the suggestion that he would swap a semi final place for more Premier League points because he knows a season isn’t a ‘negotiation’ like that and it’s down to the club to compete on all fronts.
We are in a semi again and he wants us to progress, then when we return to league action he wants another three points.
He also commented that there shouldn’t be a clash between the Chelsea and Manchester United game and the semi.
‘Something should be done about it. I’m surprised that they did not analyse that in television deals because basically what happens there, it is something that should have been planned, that two television channels who pay a lot of money for football, have conflicted interests in promoting games. That inside the country shouldn’t happen.’
As for Jurgen Klopp being linked with everyone from Manchester City, to Arsenal, to anybodies local pub team, Wenger added.
‘I`m not an agency to place managers and I like every manager and respect everybody, but I find that circus a bit ridiculous.’
In other quotes, Wenger also said that the team he picked would not underestimate Reading nor allow any complacency to sink in because we know from previous years and rounds how difficult Championship opponents can be.
‘I`m playing my 10th semi-final on Saturday so that means we know how to prepare. We know as well that it is always tricky. It`s a special occasion for us to share with our fans and we want to go home happy. Last year we went to penalties against Wigan and we have learnt from that. The urgency level will be high in our team. The fact that we won last year is a good memory and can stimulate your brain, your desire, and we want to take the positives from it. We also remember that we suffered a lot before we got there so we have to prepare ourselves to battle first.’
The gaffer goes on to say that getting to a semi final and then thinking you can just turn up to win would be ‘absolutely not intelligent’ and that has been his message to the players in the build up.
‘We have prepared well since the start of the season for this game and we know exactly what will face us. I think the team will have the needed focus. They have many players who have the experience in the Premier League. They have a good offensive potential, with Pogrebnyak, Mackie, Robson-Kanu, McCleary and they are all dangerous players. Steve Clarke has good experience so he knows exactly what to do. He has spent a long time at the top and he knows exactly what will happen. I`m sure he will prepare his team very well.
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