The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Arsenal rest six for Olympiakos in bid to avoid fatigue Posted: 03 Dec 2012 07:45 AM PST
Midfielders Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta, forwards Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott as well as defender Per Mertesacker were all missing from Arsenal's 18-man squad named to travel to Greece for tomorrow's match. Wojciech Szczesny, Thomas Vermaelen, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, and Gervinho will be surrounded by fringe and youth team players, five of whom are yet to make their first-team debut. "Some players needed a rest because they were a bit on the fringe of injury, and some players are injured," Wenger (picture) told club website (http://www.arsenal.com). "When I count the injured players I speak about Podolski and Walcott. We needed to rest Wilshere, 100 per cent, and Cazorla, Arteta and Mertesacker played many games recently. They have been rested. "It is [to avoid fatigue], and we have one luxury, that we can do it. But we have as well one necessity, to win the game tomorrow night. I tried to find the right balance between resting some players and as well having a competitive team tomorrow night." Arsenal have already guaranteed their passage through to the last 16. They can top Group B if they win and German side Schalke, who lead the English club by one point, draw or lose against French champions Montpellier. Despite a weakened side Wenger will be hoping his 150th Champions League match in charge as coach ends in glory, however Arsenal's last visit to Olympiakos's Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium 12 months ago ended in a 3-1 defeat for the north London side. Arsenal overcame the Greek side by the same margin at home in October. Swansea City striker Miguel Michu condemned Arsenal to a fourth Premier League defeat on Saturday when he scored twice to leave Wenger's side 10th in the table as their worst start to a domestic season under his reign continued. – Reuters |
| Chelsea deny reports linking Avram Grant return Posted: 03 Dec 2012 06:58 AM PST
Newspaper reports suggested the club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich was second guessing his decision to bring in Spaniard Benitez after Roberto Di Matteo was sacked in late November. Former Liverpool boss Benitez's first three games in charge have failed to yield a victory and Grant, who fell agonisingly close to winning the Champions League in 2008 when Chelsea lost to Manchester United on penalties, was linked as a possible consultant to help the Spaniard manage the squad. "There is no truth in reports that Avram Grant (picture) will be returning to the club," a Chelsea spokeman said today. Israeli Grant replaced Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge in 2007 and spent 54 games in charge, winning 36 of those until he was dismissed in May 2008. Chelsea have gone seven Premier League games without a win after losing 3-1 to West Ham United on Saturday. The Londoners sit in third place, 10 points behind leaders Manchester United after 15 games. – Reuters |
LONDON, Dec 3 – Arsenal have opted to leave six first-team regulars in London ahead of their final Champions League group stage match against Olympiakos Piraeus in a bid to avoid fatigue, manager Arsene Wenger said today.
LONDON, Dec 3 – European champions Chelsea have denied British media reports linking former manager Avram Grant to an assistant role alongside interim coach Rafael Benitez at Stamford Bridge.| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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