Arsenal fans will be very unhappy to learn that our young Spanish speedster Hector Bellerin is the latest player to join the Gunners injury list, which means that Debuchy is set to be starting in Munich this evening.
This is what Wenger had to say about it last night. “The team news is that, from Saturday’s squad, we lost Bellerin, who will not be available tomorrow night. We have nobody else back, so that means he has been replaced in the squad by Jeff Reine-Adelaide.
Although Hector will be missed tonight, Wenger doesn’t think it is very serious. “We have to wait a little bit. It’s not a big problem but it’s a small groin problem.”
When asked about all our other injuries, he said: “They are all very close. I think Arteta will be back in full training on Friday, Ospina as well. After the break, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramsey [could be] back as well.”
It is ominous that the Boss doesn’t mention Theo Walcott amongst the list of returnees, and of course Welbeck, Rosicky and Wilshere are not expected back until January.
Arsenal are running out of options from the bench now, but Wenger has already decided that Mathieu Debuchy is a certain starter to replace Hector. “Debuchy will play and I’m confident,” Le Prof said. “I trust Debuchy, he is a 100 per cent educated player in the box and in training.
“Fortunately he played a full game against Sheffield Wednesday and physically he should be well.”
He may have played 90 mins, but he wasn’t very impressive. Hopefully that will have made him less rusty as he is going to be thrown in the deep end tonight…..