The difference between being contenders and also rans is linked to some extent to how a team copes when key players are missing.
Sometimes it's not critical to have a quality back-up, understudy style, who can step in and do the same job.
It can be just as effective to have versatility in the squad, first team players who are comfortable in a few positions, particularly if they themselves have a solid back-up and know the system and what's required.
We have this versatility throughout our midfield I think, good options that can be switched around.
At the back Sagna's an able support for the CB, Jenks is dodgy at the moment but he showed last season that he can be trusted in big games.
Vermaelen is a question mark but if he recovers form he's definitely a good option, Gibbs and Nacho are equal enough.
Again it's back to our striker options (outside of the fact that Giroud is not super sharp) with Podolski gone for the forseeable future, we only have Theo and Giroud.
We would want to be desperately unlucky to be without three together, not many squads would cope with that, but in that scenario having just Sanogo, Akpom and Bendtner to choose from could be costly.
