Matchday Thread - Arsenal vs Queens Park Rangers - 26 Dec 2014

Unleash the Walcott.

Starting XI:

Szczesny
Debuchy, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs
Flamini, Rosicky
Sanchez, Cazorla, Welbeck
Giroud

Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Bellerin, Coquelin, Walcott, Podolski, Campbell

Welbeck looked a bit disjointed until Giroud went off, then he brightened up and started drifting into his normal positions. Not enough time on the training pitch with the gorgeous Frenchman, me thinks. I'm happy he'll get some more playing time as centre-forward again, that is his best position by a mile.

Our tackling was great, for once, although Gibbs' last-minute tackle should probably have been a penalty. Flamini was back to being a silent warrior, which isn't surprising as he finally had players around him willing to back him up and provide him with options (Rosicky, for example).

QPR had a sound strategy in the second half. They adapted immediately to the red card and started pushing us back further and further. We were lucky to get away with the three points on that one.

Rosicky on his performance:

I wanted to show the boss that he can use me more.

Rosicky on Giroud's red card:

[Giroud] knows what he has done, he knows he made a big mistake.

Wenger on the penalty:

[The penalty] looked generous but maybe he touched him.

Wenger on Giroud's red card:

From that point we knew we had a battle. [It was] deserved, he didn't control himself. It changed the dynamic completely. When [Giroud] makes mistakes he [owns up to it], he knows he made a mistake today.

Wenger on Alexis Sanchez:

He has so much confidence in his own ability that he's sometimes a bit too individual.

Wenger won't stop overplaying Sanchez until he tears his hamstring. What an idiot. took off Rosicky who hasn't played for months and kept Sanchez on who's totally knackered. If Sanchez gets injured it will be totally Wenger's fault.

Giroud's red card was ridiculous. First of all, he didn't even look that angry, he just wanted a little confrontation after being pushed straight into the keeper. As he goes in with his head, he just assumes Onuoha will either move his head towards him (to play along), or move it out of the way (to avoid getting a bump).

Instead Onuoha stands completely still, waiting for the tiny impact, then goes down as if Frimpong dropkicked him in the face. Giroud knew that he had fallen into the trap as soon as the ref came over, you can see it in his face.

Wenger won't stop overplaying Sanchez until he tears his hamstring. What an idiot. took off Rosicky who hasn't played for months and kept Sanchez on who's totally knackered. If Sanchez gets injured it will be totally Wenger's fault.

Also, hearing Wenger say that Sanchez sometimes is "too individual" scares me. His individualism is one of the reasons he performs well for Arsenal.

Also, hearing Wenger say that Sanchez sometimes is "too individual" scares me. His individualism is one of the reasons he performs well for Arsenal.

There was a situation near the end where Sanchez should have released Welbeck on the left who was free to motor in on goal, one on one vs the keeper. Wenger's probably referring to those moments.

There was a situation near the end where Sanchez should have released Welbeck on the left who was free to motor in on goal, one on one vs the keeper. Wenger's probably referring to those moments.

Spot on! Sanchez has been the one that has kept is alive this season else we would have been fighting a relegation! His selfish behavior and self importance was one reason he was made to leave Barca. I hope he gets along well with Theo and Ozil. Else we would have more problems to sort out.

Spot on! Sanchez has been the one that has kept is alive this season else we would have been fighting a relegation! His selfish behavior and self importance was one reason he was made to leave Barca. I hope he gets along well with Theo and Ozil. Else we would have more problems to sort out.

I think the worry is that our game will become too focused on him. When you have individuals like Sanchez there is a risk that players around him will automatically pass him even if there are better options available. It becomes the easy way out of an uncomfortable situation - just pass Sanchez and he'll do something.

Which would be ok if Sanchez stayed injury free for the next five years, but we know that won't happen. Arsenal have a way of ruining careers with "unlucky" injuries. Only a question of when Sanchez will get injured. Just look at Özil: barely a scratch in his career, comes to Arsenal and out for six months already.

Post-match comments from Wenger.

On the red card:

It was a deserved red card. Madness is a strong word but he didn't kill him, he touched him and should not have done it. He should have been in control. Giroud knows he made a mistake and I know him well enough to think that he will not do it again.

He told me he was pushed in the back and that projected him into the keeper. Maybe because the injury he had still plays a part on his mind and it's unusual for him. Usually he's a guy who's in control of his response.

On Sanchez taking the penalty instead of Cazorla:

How do you know he shouldn't take it? I think Santi is a nice guy and let him take it. Honestly, he is not No 1 on the penalty list, that's true. Arteta is our No 1 taker and at the moment Cazorla is No 1.

On Podolski:

He knows that when we are defending like that in the last five minutes he knows it's not his turn to come on. We needed to defend. I don't give any importance to [the] rumours [about Podolski leaving]. There was a rumour two days ago in France that I offered £62 million for Cavani from Paris Saint-Germain. Everyday there is a different rumour so I don't give importance to that.

In every big club you have some players who don't play and they are not happy. If you find players who are happy when they don't play you have a problem. [Podolski] will play. Rosicky had an outstanding game today and he didn't play for a long time. Our job is always to be ready when you play.