Are Arsenal’s defensive injuries turning into a crisis?

Arsenal’s Injury Curse Continues By Joey Mack

Gooners are waking up this morning to the dispiriting news that Shkodran Mustafi is going to be out of action until the New Year because of an injury he picked up in the 37th minute of Germany’s 5-1 trouncing of Azerbaijan last night. This will be the German international’s second major injury in only fourteen months since he signed for Arsenal, and he was also rumoured to have been unsettled and wanting out of the club during last summer’s transfer market.

Die Mannschaft’s coach, Joachim Löw, confirmed that Arsenal’s 25 year old-defender seems to have suffered a major muscle tear in his right thigh and while the fact that his wages of £90,000 a week will be covered by the Germans while he’s injured might make Arsenal’s penny-pinching board members happy, it leaves anxious fans even more worried about the Gunners chances of making the Top Four. This is particularly disappointing, considering the clean sheets we have managed to keep recently.
Considering that our main defender Laurent Koscielny has been forced to miss France’s two World Cup qualifying matches this international break due to injury, and that Calum Chambers has been sidelined for weeks with a mysterious hip injury. With potential future star Bielik also injured, and we have every right to be worried. While young Rob Holding has a lot of admirers, his last few performances have been underwhelming, and he’s often seemed like the youngster he is, struggling to cope with the speed and power of opposing attackers.

Given our famous history of injuries, many of us are wondering why Wenger let Gabriel Paulista go, especially when we took a significant loss on his sale. So what will this mean for our tactics? Will Arsenal be forced to revert to a back four? Will Wenger try to convert Debuchy to a defender the way he did Bacary Sagna? Should Arsenal consider the 34 year-old, who is currently without a club and wanted by Leicester?

Whatever happens, this is not the scenario any of us wanted, and it could get worse, with France playing its last qualifying match tomorrow…

Joey

20 Comments

  1. Another wasted season already, we are not prepared that’s why no one gives us the benefit of doubt, we are known pretenders in this title race,that’s why Wenger must go for things to change

  2. Chambers proved last season that he is a capable defender.

    Just because Holdings didn’t cost £100m doesn’t mean he isn’t top top quality.

    Plus we have Elneny that can cover there and he showed his quality in pre season in that position.

    Let’s not forget that we already have top top defenders in Per and Laurent already.

    So I don’t really see this as an opportunity. The quality and strength in depth is so strong that I wouldn’t be surprised that Mustafi doesn’t get his place back when he returns from injury!!!!

  3. Sagna till the end of the season will be a good signing, he wouldn’t need time to settle and is better than bellerin current back up debuchy. He is also trying to make the French squad so he will be motivated to play well.

    In January we can also get Gimenez or de vrij on pre agreement who are two potentially world class cb

  4. Whilst Chambers doesn’t have enough pace for right-back he’s capable in CD, and Elneny proved he is also capable in role

    Not perfect, but could be worse

  5. Kolsanic can play CD (left)
    Monreal can not
    I would recommend that Wenger play Monreal at LWB and Kolsanic at CBleft with Koscielny and Holding or Mertsacker

    1. Nacho has really adapted well at LCB, and besides, putting sead at lwb makes the attack tick at the left side with class crosses and passes! Laurent will be at the heart of the defense and chambers/holding can fill the RCB! I think it’s a great opportunity for these two youngsters cos how are they supposed to improve when they are always rotting on the bench! The fixtures look favorable for the chambers and holding! Hope they shine ! Coyg

  6. We already have problems in central defender, we need some quality players that have consistency in their performance like Sol campbell , Tony adams, Kolo toure (when they were in their prime time) but i don’t see these things in Koscienly or Mustafi they play good in 4..5 games and then making mistake in one game and we lose and this thing happend again N again

  7. Wenger should ov signed a cb in the summer after letting Gabriel go but I do rate chambers and think he should be given a run in the team

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