Wenger spins rotation policy
Arsene Wenger insists player rotation is the “only way to survive” Arsenal’s hectic schedule.
The Gunners face up to three matches within a week when they travel to Anfield for Carling Cup semi-final against Liverpool on Tuesday.
Already without several senior players such as injured skipper Thierry Henry and midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, Wenger will take no chances and is set to further rest key men while also giving his fringe players another opportunity to impress.
The Arsenal manager feels he has “absolutely no choice” if the squad are to make it through the hectic festive schedule in fighting shape for the challenges of 2007.
Wenger said: “Our heavy schedule at the moment is a consequence of doing well in the Carling Cup, doing well in the Champions League, and also because we had to pre-qualify for the Champions League – that gave us two extra games and pushed the Wigan game into an already busy time of the year.
“I have rotated the team lately – and I will continue to do that because I have absolutely no choice. It is the only way to survive.”
The Arsenal manager, however, insisted he has no intentions of bringing fresh faces into the club during the January transfer window, such is his confidence in the current squad.
“We will definitely not strengthen,” Wenger said. “We will maybe sell, but certainly not buy.
“I am confident that we have the right number of top quality players to get through the period.”
Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, 29, is likely to captain the Gunners while Tomas Rosicky returns from a hamstring injury.
The Spaniard was part of the side which inflicted a comprehensive 3-0 Barclays Premiership defeat on the Reds at the Emirates Stadium in November, standing in for the ill Jens Lehmann.
Since then Rafael Benitez’s men have found their form and are currently above the Gunners in the league table.
Almunia believes the Merseysiders will be out to prove a point – even if Arsenal are unlikely to be at full strength.
“It will certainly be more difficult at Anfield,” said the Spaniard. Liverpool have just had a big defeat to us, so I am sure they will be looking for revenge.
“It is the same as the Everton game in the last round, though, because everyone thought we were too young to win there.
“We might win, or we might lose – but one thing I am sure of is that we will cause them problems. We will give 100%, and make it very difficult.”
