Champions League - Arsenal squad stretched by injuries

Eurosport - Mon, 13 Apr 13:46:00 2009

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits his squad is being stretched as they prepare for a crucial week.

FOOTBALL Johan Djourou Arsenal - 0

The Gunners have seen their defensive options decimated ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second leg with Villarreal and the FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea following injuries to William Gallas and Johan Djourou.

Gallas has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee problem he picked up in the first leg draw against Villarreal, while Djourou sustained a knee injury in Saturday's 4-1 win over Wigan.

"We are feeling a little stretched. That injury to Djourou is a massive blow to us," said Wenger.

"We lost Gallas last week and now Djourou. We cannot afford to lose any more players in the centre of defence."

Despite the injury problems Wenger is relishing the two big games this week which will determine if Arsenal can win any silverware this term.

"We love the fact we have these big games coming up," added Wenger. "There is tension but we like that because if there's no tension, it means you are not going for anything."

And captain Cesc Fabregas wants the Gunners to go unbeaten until the end of the campaign in a bid to answer their early-season critics.

Fabregas has recently returned from almost four months out with a knee injury and is now eager to finish the season in a positive fashion.

"It's quite good what we have done, but it is not enough," said Fabregas. "We want to go all the way.

"We have said to ourselves we do not want to lose another game before the end of the season and that's what we will try to do. Of course, we cannot say for definite that will happen. But that's the aim, for sure. That has been our intention.

"We have done it during the past few weeks. We just need to keep it going for a few weeks more."

Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini has named midfield duo Cani and Mati Fernandez in his 20-man squad for the match at the Emirates.

Both Cani and Fernandez missed Saturday's 2-0 league defeat to Malaga through injury but will travel to London as Villarreal look to keep alive their European dream after being held 1-1 at home by the Gunners in last week's first leg.

Also named in the squad is teenage midfielder Jordi Pablo as Pellegrini keeps his options open for the match, but the Yellow Submarine must do without two of their key players as Spain internationals Marcos Senna and Santi Cazorla are injured.

Captain Senna was ruled out of Wednesday's match after suffering a hamstring injury late on against Malaga, while Cazorla is out for the next three months after breaking his leg during the recent league game with Almeria.

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 3 - 22 of 22

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  1. Vela must play, and Bendtner come on as super-sub if­ RVP doesn't score.

    From Matt, on Tue 14 Apr 9:51AM

  2. Probably it will be Fabiansky, Sagna, Toure, Silvester,­ Eboue, Nasiri, Walcot,Fabregas,Denilson, RVP,Adebayore.

    From John Bosco Kapel, on Tue 14 Apr 9:10AM

  3. c'mon arsenal .if you win this one you ll be in the­ final!

    From Dumitriu R, on Tue 14 Apr 8:46AM

  4. injuries - the story of this season

    From Gussy Fink-Nottle, on Tue 14 Apr 3:31AM

  5. THE BEST LINE UP 4 ARSENAL VS­­ VILLAREAL
    Fabianski
    Sagna Toure Song Silvestre­
    Denilson­ Fabregas
    Eboue Nasri
    RVP
    Adebayor

    From tarmizi, on Tue 14 Apr 3:20AM

  6. arsenal will play barcelona in the final, and win this­ time!!!!!!!!!!

    From Burt, on Tue 14 Apr 2:52AM

  7. i think in such special cases wenger will put song as­ CB and silvestre as LB or they will play all­ attack..this is not going to be good.

    From afiq a, on Tue 14 Apr 2:05AM

  8. I think this will be the­ squad:

    Fabianski
    Sagna
    Toure
    Silvestre
    Eboue
    Denilson
    ­ Nasri
    Fabregas
    Walcott
    Van­ Persie
    Adebayor

    Subs:
    Bendtner
    Song
    Ramsey

    This is­ the team to beat...come on villareal 3-0
    2 GOALS-VAN­ PERSIE
    1 GOAL- FABREGAS

    From gunners4 lyfe:), on Mon 13 Apr 9:15PM

  9. i dont think we can play Gibbbs on wednesday. he's­ too inexperienced for such an occasion. Gunners need to­ take the game by its throat right at the kickoff­ whistle and dont let them settle in. GO­ GUNNERSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

    From Laurent E, on Mon 13 Apr 7:51PM

  10. win arsenal win..
    beat villarreal..3-0

    From apizs, on Mon 13 Apr 7:10PM

  11. VILLAREAL WITH OUT SANTI CAZOLA AND SINNA WHICH THEY­ ARE BETTER THAN FABRIGAS FOR SPAIN NATIONAL TEAM WILL­ DROW 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 DONT­ FORGET THAT THERE ARE ROSSI AND NIHAT WHO DIDNT PLAY­ LAST TIME WILL D E S T R O Y THE INJURED ARSENAL­ DEFFENCE

    From getachew44, on Mon 13 Apr 6:49PM

  12. LINE UP 4 ARSENAL VS­ VILLAREAL
    ALMUNIA
    SAGNA
    TOURE
    EBOUE
    WALCOTT
    SONG.B
    VAN.­ P
    ADEBAYOR
    FABREGAS
    NASRI
    SUBS.
    VELA
    DENILSOM
    BENDTNER

    From akeem93.alimi, on Mon 13 Apr 6:40PM

  13. I THINK ARSENAL NEEDS TO ATTACK, IF THEY WAN'T TO­ WIN THE GAME, THEY HAVE TO PLAY BOTH VAN P AND ADEBAYOR

    From Eric, on Mon 13 Apr 3:57PM

  14. sorry, last sub will be Vela

    From Omar F, on Mon 13 Apr 3:37PM

  15. yeh play eboue in left back or shift sagna left back­ and then play eboue right back. he can make power runs­ from that position

    From Julio, on Mon 13 Apr 3:36PM

  16. this will probably be arsenal's line­ up:
    Fabianski
    Sagna Toure Silvestre Eboue/Song
    Denilson­ Fabregas
    Walcott­ Nasri
    RVP
    Adebayor
    Subs:
    Mannone
    Gibbs
    Eboue/Song
    Eduar­ do
    Diaby (maybe)
    Ramsey/Wilshere

    From Omar F, on Mon 13 Apr 3:36PM

  17. let Eboue plays the defenders role.......when he first­ played for arsenal, he played as a defender and i think­ he was good at it too.

    From hisham n, on Mon 13 Apr 2:33PM

  18. attack is the best form of defence, or so they say.­ 3-1-4-2 formation would b the best with silvestre,­ toure n' sagna in defence, song in front of them,­ nasri, denilson, fabregas and walcott in midfield,­ van-persie and eduardo in front. playin a home game is­ an advantage, even the more resaon to attack.

    From Martin, on Mon 13 Apr 2:13PM

  19. song goin to drop into centre back?

    From jennytaylor66, on Mon 13 Apr 2:12PM

  20. luckily senna is injured
    arsenal back 4 seems to play­ it deep giving him chance for long-range shot
    hope­ arsenal get through in case the mancs get through to­ semi
    from a liverpool fan

    From chip l, on Mon 13 Apr 2:07PM
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