Disagree. Any opportunity we have to find someone good enough to remove Mascherano from the big game XI should be taken with both hands. We would hate to lose a CL final because someone couldn't get their head to the ball, now wouldn't we?
I'd give him a chance in an easier game, probably alongside Bartra. See how he does and if he's ready to be eased into the more strenuous games.
Vermaelen won't play.
Every La liga match till the end is like a final, and we have only 5 Champions league matches left.
Without injuries, Lucho will use Pique+Masch in 90% of matches.
Mathieu will play only if Pique/Mascherano get injured or red carded. Or if they will need a rest before CL match.
Bartra will struggle to get more than 2-3 matches till the end of the Season.
And Vermaelen will probably enter 1-2 times in the last 20 minutes when we will be winning 2:0 or 3:0 in some La liga match.
Lucho won't experiment in the final part of the Season.
So, if Vermaelen will be fit, he will get 20-30 minutes this Season and during a preseason and during the next Season, he will fight for more minutes.
Even in top form he's still our worst CB. I'd even trust Mascherano more in big matches.
He was never "world class" at Arsenal, quite the opposite. His performances were always overrated because he was an offensive weapon and scored many goals.
Most of fans here think that Bartra is our 4th choice, and Vermaelen is our 5th choice, but I always thought that if he hadn't got injured, that Lucho's order would have been:
1. Pique
2. Masch
3. Mathieu and Vermaelen
5. Bartra
Or:
1. Pique
2. Masch
3. Mathieu
4. Vermaelen
5. Bartra
He is a Belgian international, experienced player, played for years for Arsenal in EPL and Champions league.
I am just not buying the story that Lucho would trust Bartra more than him.