It’s a well worn cliché that the Chinese words for opportunity and crisis are more or less the same but with Aston Villa the visitors to the Emirates this weekend for once the latest spate of Arsenal injuries fall firmly into the former category.
While the squad would be far stronger if Matthieu Debuchy, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck were all available the absence of these players doesn’t destroy the structure of the team, it just opens the door for high caliber replacements to come in.
If Alexis Sanchez’ hamstring rules him out that would be a blow because the Chilean has been such a consistent source of goals but the two main beneficiaries of what, by Arsenal standards, is merely a small spate of injuries could well be Theo Walcott and Mezut Ozil.
Both players started the FA Cup fourth round tie away to Brighton last time out, both got on the score sheet and both performed with distinction although, despite his well taken goal, Walcott was a little sloppy in possession at times.
It’s going to be difficult for Ozil to displace the on form Santi Cazorla from that advanced central midfield berth and Sanchez and Oxlade-Chamberlain look like the first choice wingers for the foreseeable future but injuries to both wide men could result in a reshuffle.
Cazorla has to start but he could drop slightly deeper and offer the creative spark alongside Francis Coquelin’s defensive spade work and Wenger might even be tempted to shift him out wide, which would allow Ozil to play in his preferred central role.
There is also the option to start Ozil on the wing but given how unconvincingly the German performed in that role at the start of the season I think most supporters would rather see him in the centre. Wenger is not going to get the best out of his record signing by playing him out of position.
If Cazorla does drop deeper to accommodate Ozil then the victim would most likely to be Ramsey who is not exactly back to his best but has put in a series of solid performances since returning from injury and would be unlucky to lose his place.
Then there’s Tomas Rosicky who was absolutely superb against Brighton and has seized his recent first team opportunities with both hands. Wenger might prefer to put his faith in the veteran rather than rush Ozil and Walcott back into the side.
There’s also intrigue in the back four where Calum Chambers, who made a barnstorming run for the opening Arsenal goal last weekend but was also culpable for Brighton’s opener, is likely to miss out meaning that Wenger will have to choose between Hector Bellerin and Gabriel Paulista at right back.
Paulista has been playing week in, week out for Villarreal so shouldn’t be short of match fitness and it’s much easier to integrate into a new team from a wide position like right back then it is in the middle, where more awareness of the player’s around you is required so I suspect he might get the nod.
I think David Ospina is guaranteed to return to the side for the simple reason that the Colombian hasn’t let a goal in recently but the manager will definitely be weighing up his options and wondering who out of Bellerin, Gabriel, Ramsey, Ozil, Rosicky and Walcott will start.
I don’t think there’s a single name on that last list who Arsenal fans would not be happy to see in the side and if the injury to Welbeck means more opportunities from the substitute’s bench for soon to be out of contract striker Chuba Akpom then that’s not a bad thing either.
The sight of Sanchez’ name on the team sheet would be a welcome bonus but Paulista and Coquelin have plugged the most gaping holes in the squad and any side Wenger sends out on Sunday is going to be a strong one.
