William Saliba’s return by Dan Smith
If Mikel Arteta feels the need to rotate his squad due to three games in 8 days this festive period, then fine.
If our manager wants to play Rob Holding on to Boxing Day and save William Saliba for the two (on paper) tougher fixtures, okay.
If he wants to protect Saliba from the yellow card which would rule him out for the trip to Brighton, that makes sense.
What I don’t want to hear is that our defender is unavailable this Monday due to a ‘rest’.
At the very least, I expect him on the bench.
It would show a lack of leadership in our dressing room and leave me questioning the mentality of the player.
Arsenal’s protocol for those who played at the World Cup is they don’t have to return to training for 7 days. Thankfully most have chosen to ignore this offer.
Tomiyasu is the only individual to publicly desire a break but that was put down to the emotion of having just lost a penalty shoot-out.
He soon did a U turn and joined the squad in Dubai.
I’m not grateful for those who returned to work earlier then they had too. We are top of the table by 5 points, we have a chance to send Man City to Leeds 8 points behind us!
Shouldn’t the players be excited about that?
Shouldn’t they want to all be involved in an opportunity that might never happen again?
Shouldn’t they want to not give the team any kind of disadvantage?
It’s also common sense.
Ramsdale and White didn’t play a second of football in Qatar while Martinelli and Tomiyasu started one match.
So those 4 have had essentially a mid-season break in lavish surroundings.
Come kick off against the Hammers, it will be over three weeks since Partey and Turner kicked a ball, 20 for Xhaka and over two weeks since Saka was knocked out in the Quarter Finals.
Any other season, these players do not get that kind of period in December where they are not playing.
The only Gunner to still be involved in the WC beyond the last 8 was Saliba ……who didn’t play a second of the knockout stages.
In fact, our defender only played approx. 40 minutes against Tunisia ……on the 30 th November!
He’s had his rest because he’s played 40 minutes since the 12th of November.
If anything, I be more worried that he’s gone rusty rather and he’s fatigued.
Update: William Saliba is due to resume training today. pic.twitter.com/YNcQjEqUJx
— Patrick Timmons (@PatrickTimmons1) December 23, 2022
I would struggle to keep a straight face if the 21-year-old asked for rest…. he’s had more of a holiday then those who didn’t go on International duty.
A Tony Adams, Keown, Dixon, Viera, etc wouldn’t be needing a breather because they played 40 minutes in 6 weeks, and they would be pulling up anyone who tried to do.
Arteta has always talked about the principles of the club and not accepting anyone who doesn’t want to not follow his ethos.
Saliba needs to be in our squad against West Ham.
If Mbappe (who has a poor attitude?) can return to training straight away, then so can Saliba
Dan
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This is a pointless discussion. Saliba hardly took the field for France and he was in great form before the World Cup break. The big issues for me are the mind games regarding whether or not his agent advises him to re-sign with Arsenal or whether his ambitions are larger than what our club can offer him.
Am hoping this is some kind of mind games.
Other than that enough is enough Saliba is either an Arsenal player subject to the same rules as everyone.
School children in England knows he wasn’t treated well at day one, the gaffer realize he had error and went overboard to accommodate him and integrated him into the team, now that is behind, if his ego is too big too to put it behind we must address it soon, I understand there might be a year optional, if that’s so once triggered it could buy us time to move him on.
Maybe he needs an apology from the gaffer I dont know, I know in life you forgive but don’t forget, but I just don’t buy the resting thing a strong 21 year old who hadn’t kick a ball in many moons need rest, this would mean even me over twice his age has a better recovery time.
We must remember Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben white form a solid defense, before white was push out to the right to accommodate Saliba.
Like I said am hoping it’s just part of the gaffer mind game, only that i will accept for his absence now.
The gaffer went overboard to accommodate him,really?he had no choice seeing how Saliba has been performing.also, according to MA,by his attitude, commitment…Saliba made it a very easy decision to play him.lastly, Conte has said he’ll have Lloris in the bench for the next game,he spoke about the mental fatigue/disappointment that come with playing in a tournament.especially after losing a final.Saliba might have played only one game but the disappointment is still the same, even bigger for him(it would have been his first WC winner’s medal).
Siamois I hope you are right and it may have been some mental fatigue issues, though it would have argued not well for his mentality.
Yes he was playing exceptionally well prior to his integration in the team, believe he won an award base on his performance in France.
Am sensing the gaffer handling him with kids gloves, the sooner we can have his contract issues sorted out the better .
Am seing some bulletins saying he maybe back in the camp now.
You could be right that he manages Saliba differently, let’s not forget that he is still young and went through some difficult times not so long ago.i heard that MA gives a lot of importance to the person/human being side of a player. I’m sure you know that different players need a different approach ,as long as it’s not favouritism I’m ok with it.
Plus, what were you watching, ” Mbappe has a poor attitude” during the world cup. Mbappe gave 100% in every game . What are you expecting???
If Antonio and Scamacca are out, our defence shouldn’t
be bothered on Boxing Day. If Saliba is mentally strong
as I suspect, he should play..
I still fear we will be forced to sell Saliba because of the contract issue just my opinion but don’t think he will sign a new deal still believe he holds a grudge for the way Arteta treated him early on by sending him out on loan when he believed he was ready to play and although you can’t believe everything you read but a lot of reports claiming his agent is demanding extortionate wages for him to even consider staying so can only see one outcome and unfortunately not a good one for Arsenal apart from the transfer fee they will receive but def rather keep the player!
I cannot find a single thought in DANS PERCEPTIVE ARTICLE that I do not endorse. It makes perfect sense, though I prefer to wait to see what happens concerning SALIBA.
I expect him to start on the bench against West Ham and think we will see him at Brighton and Newcastle, both in a starting role.
What I find so hard to take about so much on JA that is sheer conjecture, is how some Gooners take mere conjecture as fact , instead of thinking for themselves.
I am not known for taking unthinking fans posts gladly. To put it very mildly indeed!
I agree.
Physically he should be well rested, and because he was so much on the bench, he really should be extra motivated to show his skills.
OT:speaking of the WC,last week Ja posted an article on Martinez.in it,I wrote that I thought he was fake, two-faced..!well it looks like his behaviour after the final proved me right.after spending few minutes comforting Mbappé,once in the dressing room Martinez has his teammates to have a minute of silence for Mbappé.thrn there were the disgusting scenes at their celebration in Argentina,where he was holding a doll with Mbappé face stuck on it and pretended to cry like baby.lastly,the racist chants directed at Mbappé were disgusting.imagine winning the WC but still be more bothered by another player?even if that player scored a hat- trick plus a penalty against you in the same game.
I said after the final that I thought he acted like a prat (which he did )having watched endless clips with him dancing and trusting that trophy I can only say that I was right .
He’s gotten alot of stick since and like you said now that doll thing as come out ,he’s only got himself to blame .
Maybe his emotions got the better of him but still he really made himself look stupid .
You are so right Dan, he made a complete dick of himself during and certainly after the game and even days later. And don’t get me started on the fake chef Salt Bae! How the F did he get to do what he did? Oh of course he’s Infantino’s mate, just another sign of FIFA’s corruption.
You were definitely right Dan!!one minute he is comforting Mbappé and then in the dressing room mocking him,asking his teammates to have a minute of silence for him.it reminds if when he had just signed for Villa,telling us how grateful he was to Arsenal,fans,coaches..but then 2 months later after he had a good start with Villa,he gave multiple interviews ,well slagging us off.
Interesting thought here, but maybe Arteta saw something in him that didn’t sit well with him. Pretty classless to behave the way Martinez did and I was a strong supporter of him over Leno too
SueP. do you not remember when Martinez signed for Villa? despite pushing for a move(giving several radio interviews)he told how hard it was for him to leave Arsenal,how grateful he was to the club,fans,coaches..then after a very good start with Villa,he quickly changed his tune.i said it before I always thought of him as two-faced/fake.
I hadn’t recalled it 😔
Is Saliba even back in the U.K. yet?