Per Mertesacker has been ruled out for the rest of the Premier League campaign, having had to have been taken off during the weekend’s tie with Norwich City.
Arsenal recently reported back with a full squad to choose from, but that is no longer the case going into the match with Manchester City this weekend. Centre-back Per Mertesacker has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, as confirmed by Arsene Wenger.
“From the squad that played against Norwich last Saturday, we have lost Per Mertesacker,” the Frenchman said.
“Per is out for the remaining two matches with a hamstring injury. Everyone else from last week’s squad is fit and available for selection.”
The German is not the first player that we have lost thanks to playing against the Canaries this season however, having lost three players following our encounter with Norwich City in November.
Laurent Koscielny lasted less than 15 minutes of the previous match-up, while Alexis Sanchez could only manage an hour. Arsene Wenger was blamed for overplaying the Chilean however, but it is easy to point the finger at their opponents also.
Santi Cazorla finished the match, but was said to have finished the game ‘on one leg’, and is only nearing a first-team return from that injury at present.
The Spaniard managed to get through an hour of football for the Under-21 side early this week, and could be in line for a start this Saturday, with a possible win confirming our place within the top three, as well as giving us a chance of beating Tottenham to second in the table.
Are Norwich to blame for reducing our squad numbers this season?
haha funny to blame them..but i don’t think it will affect us with just 2 matches to play..
injuries are the 12th man in our team they will b always their nothing will change in that department..
P.S. for those u think that its not the manager its players to blame just watch liverpool play and c what a manager does and means in the club
@AD
Seems you either haven’t been watching Liverpool much, or you’re just using anything to take a dig at the team/manager…Rodgers had them playing the very same way.
Yes sure go on and blame Norwich…at this point am not even surprised at the excuses Wenger and his band of AKBs will make to avoid reality.
The reality is that DESPITE the injuries and crap players and moaning fans and Walcott and Giroud unable to hit a barn door from four feet away, Wenger STILL managed to get into the top three. An amazing feat. …
lolz.. you always support mediocrity
Unlike some people I live in the real world where no team wins every game.
You live in the real world? So do I, and I see a club that hasn’t won the league, or any significant trophy in the last 12 years. I see someone who sees his team finishing third/fourth year after year and conclude that the team is good enough and there are no availeable players to upgrade the squad. Winning every game isn’t something anyone here requires Arsenal to do, so that is not the part of mediocricity that people are talking about. It’s the lack of ingredients needed to win the league that makes Arsenal FC mediocre.
Where’s the captain?
Where’s the brute?
Where’s the goalscorer?
Where’s the defensive foundation?
Where’s the well functioning plan?
Where’s the guts?
When Leicester won the league, what did Wenger say? Something like “Leicester winning the league proves what I’ve said all along – that you don’t need money to win the league”? Cannot find the actual quote, but I remember reading it a while ago.
You’re correct Wenger, you don’t need money to be a winning team – however, you need all that I’ve mentioned above, and some more.
No need to blame Norwich at all..
Per has always been very fit and availble so he has played so many games since last season..
I just Chambers gets the nod ahead of Gabriel..I have faith in him..
OT: Am kinda jealous of Liverpool..
If they win this European trophy and get in the UCL in the process, Klopp will be highly respected by most fans..
Wish them best of luck!
I just hope**
OT:
WestHam bid £ 31.5m for Batshauyi according to Goal..
Now if that’s true, that shows how tough it will be to get players as prices will be inflated.
Imagine Westham bidding that much for a relatively young player..the time is changing, I hope Arsenal changes with it!
Hope am not a pain in the neck today..
We are also said to be monitoring AZ striker Jansen,26goals in 33 league games…
And he is in the Holland first x1..
Have anyone seen him play?
Yeah he looks a good player but do we really want to take the risk with a player scoring for fun in the Eirdivisie? Also I think at times he can look a bit rigid in his play but that’s only from the 2 games i’ve seen him play. I think Milik from Ajax is more suited to make an impact in our team if we are going to take a chance on a striker from the Eirdivisie with 23goals in 37app doesn’t look great when compared to Jannsen but 7app were in the Europe where he 2 goals. To be honest I would take either or as long it meant we definitely got a striker in the summer as at least it would give a bit of new life to the forward line, even though a more proven striker would be more ideal.
yeah, blame Norwich, blame the refs, blame the fixtures, blame Leicester, hell even blame the size of the goals…but despite all these, the great arsene somehow managed to get us into the top 4. All hail Wenger…lol
I believe Gabriel would have played in this next game anyhow. It would be great if Bould could work one on one with Gab, or if Adams came in and we gave him the job of working closely with defenders. Used to love how in-sync our back unit used to be. I never seen a defense so in-sync since that team and maybe Milans old reargaurd. But no-one played the offside trap as well as the Arsenal.
Because your comments are of such a superior quality that you would know ..right?