Arsenal Vs Sunderland: 5 Things We Learned

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2. Injuries are killing this side

There have been lots of talk recently about the state of Arsenal’s squad due to the recent injury crisis. On Saturday, all the negativity surrounding this Arsenal side due to many injuries suffered was vindicated with an underwhelming performance from Arsene Wenger’s men.

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Recently, I criticized Wenger for his management of injured players

, and placed some blame at his doorstep for the issues that currently pose this team. Against Sunderland, Arsenal looked slow and lethargic with the ball, and naive and unorganized without it. The players currently on the injury lost are Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky, Kieran Gibbs, Francis Coquelin, Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez. Four of five of these are regular first team players, and on Saturday, it showed. With the aforementioned busy Christmas period ahead of us, it will be vital that Arsenal can get some of these players back fit. Arsenal will play five games over 16 days as 2015 turns to 2016. That is a lot of games in a short space of time. With the squad in such a fragile state, Wenger will have to navigate those fixtures with great care if Arsenal’s title aspirations are to become a reality. The win was a hard fought one for the Gunners, but now sets them up to make a run in the Christmas fixtures. Unfortunately, injuries will hinder the ability that Wenger’s men have to reel off a series of wins. Midfield is a particularly thin position with the pure number of injuries, but hopefully Wenger can use what he has to eek out some important results.

Next: 3. Olivier Giroud is under-valued

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