There was a surprise on Saturday when both Arthur Masuaku and Andriy Yarmolenko were left out of the matchday squad to face Manchester City of the opening fixture of the Premier League season. It had been assumed by many that one or both of them had been left off the substitutes bench through injury but that was not the case.
Both were excluded from the eighteen man squad for selection reasons as the manager decided to prioritise other positions on the bench instead of them.
Roberto, Carlos Sanchez, Angelo Ogbonna, Robert Snodgrass, Pablo Fornals, Javier Hernandez and Pablo Zabaleta were the seven players to make the bench.
Saturday’s proves just what a selection headache Manuel Pellegrini has this season when Yarmolenko and Masuaku don’t even to make the matchday squad.
With Albian Ajeti and Gonçalo Cardoso yet to properly join the first team squad, we are likely to see more competition of one of those eighteen valuable places come match day.
I personally feel Yarmolenko gives our side balance, when he is opposite Anderson on the other wing. It’s then 2 of 3 between Wilshere, Lanzini and Fornals, either that or go 442 with Ajeti not Hernandez up top, and it’s one of the three probably Lanzini. It sure is a headache but he could tell Lanzini he needs to sign a new contract or be benched 😉
when hey make the bench and Nobes is back Sanchez can eat as many pies as he wants
Anyone to replace cresswell, the fella is licking to be playing premiership football let alone be made captain, if we want to achieve anything the likes of him and Wilshere can’t start, they don’t have the pace or the legs for the top league. We have great players but Pelle needs to get the balance right between attack and defence or the likes of Pepe and co will easily embarrass us again, come to think of it Wimbledon embarrassed us last year, we need to defend as a team and attack as one.