Christos Tzolis has been sent back to Arsenal from the Greece national team camp after suffering an injury during their match against the Netherlands.
The winger has made an excellent start to life at Arsenal and was also impressive for Greece in their opening matches during the international break. He earned praise for his performances against Serbia and Germany, but he lasted only 18 minutes against the Netherlands before being forced off with a suspected hamstring injury.
Football London claims Tzolis has now left the Greece camp and returned to north London so that Arsenal can assess and care for him.
Arsenal Face Winger Concern
Arsenal had feared that some of their players could return from international duty injured, and Tzolis’ problem is a major concern. The Gunners did not sign another natural left winger during the summer window, making the Greek international an important part of Mikel Arteta’s plans.
Tzolis has started all five of Arsenal’s Premier League matches this season, and his absence would leave a clear gap on the left flank. Arsenal will now wait for further tests to determine the full extent of the injury.
Initial reports suggest the winger could be sidelined for around two to three weeks, although Arsenal will conduct their own assessment before confirming a return date.
Eze Could Change Arsenal’s Shape
If Tzolis is unavailable, Eberechi Eze is likely to be used on the left wing. However, Eze does not hug the touchline in the same way as Tzolis, preferring to move inside and operate in more central areas.
That difference could force Arteta to adjust Arsenal’s system. The Gunners may need to find another way to provide width, while Eze’s creativity could give them a different attacking threat in the final third.
Arsenal will hope Tzolis’ injury is not serious. He has become an important player in a short time, and his absence would test the depth of Arteta’s squad during a busy run of fixtures.
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As each day ticks by during this International period, weakening the Arsenal attack looks like a better decision all the time.
Just what were they thinking during the summer, between their efforts to sign Vinicius Junior and Alvarez.
And to top it off, they then sell Martinelli having already sold Trossard. and then not replacing them.
January can’t come fast enough.
If you’re watching Croatia v England, how could Kovacic miss this sitter when it was 0-3? What’s gone wrong with Shamchester players?
Amba,
Even Saka’s scored two goals.
Yeah DEREK appreciated more the unselfish Kane. The front today are the fury and furious. Croatia has to be punished for the behaviours of some of their fans which they showed to some England players
Tuchel has to immediately return Saka to Arsenal like he did with Rice. No need to use this fragile lad in the 4th
These Hammys are starting to mount up. Next team sheet should be v interesting. Rice at right back. Rice at left wing.
The last paragraph in the article about having to change team shape, in some regards this should happen more often anyway, not just on injuries. You can set up knowing a different challenge each game. And the the best managers of all time change it quickly when it’s not going right.
Yes, Eze would not hug touchline as much. This though allows us to focus a bit more pressure on the inward lying squares on the board outside their box. Football, like chess, isn’t always about cavalry charges, but overloading pressure in certain area’s. The benchmark was Tzolis getting little joy out his duel with Matty Cash, so Eze and change of plan happened half time to perfect effect. With Tzolis wider, it actually blocks Rampaging Ricky (we also have Bomber Piero) from adding the width. The trick is, if you have a tough nut like Cash, don’t go one on one, double team him. Indeed, with both Eze and Ricky quickly combing to make the winning goal for Saka.
What I would like to see tried is Havertz and Gyokeres on field together more often. Easily done by nominally fielding Havertz as left forward. But crucially with license to roam, with Kai, Victor and Ode asked to work as a unit. The left back provides the consistent width.
Remember Henri & Bergkemp
Today’s interesting fixtures፡
Bernardo Silva v Odegaard (Part Two). Hope Odegaard avenges.
Man City v Arsenal Women. End of the coach?
Ireland v Israel. Everything in it
More hamstring injuries, imagine that. They tend to happen when over stressed or overplayed. We have depth, talented depth, but this happens when you fail to rotate properly.
Wore Havertz out, Rice on pace for another 60+ matches, Saka overplayed yet again, expect his hamstring injury around the corner.
Good thing we didn’t short ourselves by selling multiple wingers and only bringing in one this Summer. That would be incompetent
“ Good thing we didn’t short ourselves by selling multiple wingers and only bringing in one this Summer. That would be incompetent”
How many times do we have to say it, you are pushing a fallacy and falsehood.
Firstly, we already had wingers queued up in the squad, not getting enough game time – Noni, Eze,.
Secondly, Why pile in replacement wingers into the already deep squad, when you have exciting wing playing youngsters not in the squad? So transfer business in the bigger picture, thinking longer term about squad development and player development.
Thirdly, biggest reason your claim is a naff is it is inside the box thinking, where we never evolve shape or play football differently. Instead of wingers going one on one, we incorporate Victor and Kai in same side more often, on those occasions flying fullbacks provide the width.
Which of these three valid points, watering down and destroying what you stated, isn’t a valid point?
we factually have less attacking options then we did 12 months ago
If it was a black and white forced response of an answer, yes. In that case, you, and others would be correct Dan.
But it’s not. You have completely missed the nuance, my three points clearly and factually add to the far too simple black and white response.
Is it not true we already had at the club replacements for those who left this summer, England wingers qued up not getting enough gametime? Is it not true we only have the huge potential of Nanweri and Skelly because space was left to give them opportunities, academy pathways – that you sound very much like wanting to block?
Is it not true, tweak our set up to incorporate Kai and Havertz playing together more centrally (this season our goal scoring issue is not enough bods in box to make use of crosses, we must tweak not repeat what isn’t working) and once tweaked we no longer need a long list of wingers the old approach needed, the full backs can supply the width. Is it not true we have full backs brimming with potential to be excellent at that?
but you had those options as well last season.
Yes. As options, not used enough to get best out of them. So the costly in transfer and wage talented international players move from bench to first team, and their place on bench taken by academy prospects. Any other way is financially unviable, or the madness of the Liverpool mess, Billion pound first 11, but squad depth of a spring onion.
We currently have the most amazingly deep squad in the Premiership. Everyone is marvelling how deep our squad depth is. It comes across you and Durand and others wish to add to that depth asap, without considering the repercussions, the downsides of doing that.
You have to consider the downsides of stockpiling without giving expensive buys and wage earners enough gametime. And not doing academy pathways properly. We are just urinating precious money away with that approach.
But, what’s wrong here, each injury shouldn’t need a like for like replacement, if we are fluid and adept enough to tweak how we play. Squad depth should bring options. One site, I think Football.London, suggested playing Gyokeres left wing – wrong imo as he looks his worst when defenders steer him out there. But Havertz can replace Tzolis on left wing next couple of months, as Havertz is an instinctive roamer, and our number one lesson learned from this season so far, is not enough people in the box or attacking deep in the box, because we are playing too many players without that instinct.
Saka doesn’t get in there nearly enough to poach, Trossard and Martinelli didn’t either, Ode and Rice the two 8’s last season don’t go poaching.
We lack a poacher, a fox in the box. We don’t need to go out and buy the best poacher in world football, but we need one on the bench, albeit a younger cheaper project. We need to inject “attack the box” instinct and “poaching” into our squad. Squad depth should mean options, not a squad of like for likes.
Moon Girl,
Facts say we have less wingers than last year;
Gone:
Martinelli, Trossard, Jesus, Nelson, Vieira
In-coming:
Tzolis
If you are suggesting that Eze and Madueke on the wings is better than Trossard and Martinelli, then you should analyze again, stats would say otherwise.
Eze is inconsistent at best, yet to be determined if he can hold down a place on the LW.
Madueke, well, he is still Madueke; dribble past defenders, but does nothing after with the ball.
Everyone seems to know this, yet you seem to be the lone holdout, the voice in the wilderness trying to convince people we have enough wingers; Good luck with that.
Just admit the club botched it bigtime this window, and yet again we did not adress attacking needs.
How can you include Nelson and Viera in the equation for goodness sake – they weren’t even here last year, havn’t been part of equation for years, they look a tad desperate and bit silly in your equation. And by your own logic, if Noni and Eze came this year just as Trossard and Martinelli went the other way, you wouldn’t have this big botch job thing or any problem at all, as it would have been one in one out?
how can you not accept Noni and Eze as the main options, it doesn’t matter if they came last year or this year, they went to World Cup, used by England as left forwards, signed for big transfer fees on good wage, they are the options bought for this moment, you can’t have that much wage and transfer fees and talent on a bench for bit parts, that’s financial madness, you need it on the pitch, when there’s chance of run in the side, get them out there.
You accept we have loads of other similar options as well – for we spend lot of time and money on wonderkids, every year whole premiership has 18 year old or less getting a chance and smashing it, not least us! It’s more than Key-Dak ripe for taking opportunity.
And why think inside the box it needed Trossard out Trossard type in, Martinelli out Martinelli type in, when you can take breaking your nuts in a different direction – like Kai as inward roaming left forward creating space for rampaging full back. To me it’s like you are writing off or underestimating attacking abilities of full backs we can use for width and crosses, it’s been in football since the Russians invented 4 4 2 in Siberia to keep their outside left and rights warm.
“ Everyone seems to know this, yet you seem to be the lone holdout, the voice in the wilderness trying to convince people we have enough wingers; Good luck with that. Just admit the club botched it bigtime this window, and yet again we did not adress attacking needs.”
I won’t admit that because it’s not true fact – in fact I can’t believe you and others can see it so one dimensionally as you do, you can’t see any merit in the plethora of options and opportunities available right now I keep listing?
Even if I was lone hold out, Sir Winston Churchill was lone hold out on the facts, and proved correct. And the Lone Ranger too. I don’t mind being lone hold on the truth as I see it. To discuss this civilly as interested fans is the whole reason JA exists isn’t it?
I would though say, what wasn’t replaced was Jesus. He was a bit of a poacher and a finisher. He could play a bit wide either side, but mostly thought of as 9. Likely the injuries done for him. But as he went out the door, a similar option should have come in, my preference Thiago. Would love to see Igor providing no9 squad depth here.
But most of all, most of all, why can’t you and others with your naff equation, see players brought here in previous years and windows came for this moment – options left in summer because replacements were already here.
Moon Girl,
Thinking longer term about squad development and player development you say, While I hope you’re right.
What’s the betting that Arsenal go into the transfer window come January for said winger, baring that they will in the summer.
I don’t think we will look to recruit more wingers in the coming windows. We don’t need one, we have too many. We signed Bartishvili in the last window. Edwin Quintero Is also joining at end of this season, joining Key-Dak, Nanweri, Noni and Eze warming the bench. A glut of left wingers already on the books.
MoonGirl,
Some of these are untried players you talk of.
Some, not all of them.
Messi, Ronaldo, Yamal were all untried players once.
And So Nwaneri and Skelly. Skelly untried at midfield till recently.
What I’m doing is deliberately not including either Yildiz and Max as wingers, as their future lies at 10.
Latest buzz from from Italy is, if Juve don’t make champions league this season, they will sell him next summer.
Problem is, if it is a problem or opportunity to change for the better – MA system doesn’t play a 10. It’s all regimented into certain squares on the board – two 8’s no 10. Ode can play 10 – you would think it’s a long while before either Yildiz or Dowman is a better 10 than Ode, and we don’t even play a proper 10, Ode is right 8 – squeezed into right 8nsquares for us when roaming across the board for his country –
so what will MA actually do with both Yildiz and Max for game time on the books next summer?
The answer is I think Dowman is going, and we won’t see much of him in coming years. And Yildiz is clubs main target for left wing.
How on earth is that claim a falsehood?
Have we or have we not sold two internationally recognised LW players and recruited just one?
1. Expensive superstar Replacements came in previous windows so didn’t have to come in this one.
2. Pathway for academy products you havn’t heard much of today, but could be rising stars with some game time – à la Nwaneri, excuse my French.
3. Plans to twist it up with more inverting wide forwards {as we don’t get enough poachers in box for crosses} and use full backs for wing play more instead.
That’s not just one answer to your question, that’s three. What’s wrong with them?
There’s a 4th. It’s a bit more abstract – but how you use windows to develop and balance squad is planned 4 or 5 years at a time, so unlike fans, club have detailed forward planning, and know they have invested heavily in international left sided creative wonderkids with extremely high ceilings.
There’s a 5th answer, but it’s more of a guess – they feel they are close to a signing (maybe what Yildiz and his entourage have said to them, so they are holding in a bit for that).
You haven’t answered my question despite three confirmed attempts, an abstract one and a guess.
Have we two proven PL wingers and replaced them with one in the last transfer window?
1. If we had replaced with superstars previously, why did we pursue Vince Junior for the whole of summer?
2. No time to blood youngsters when we are trying to retain the PL and win the CL for the first time.
3. No evidence of that to date.
Have we SOLD two proven PL wingers
1. With replacements already stockpiled.
2. “ No time to blood youngsters when we are trying to retain the PL and win the CL for the first time” NO KEN! you are not saying end all pathways if chasing titles and trophies. Are you? Our club has already plumbed in next generation of world superstars into our pathway.
3. Tzolis withdrawn at Villa for inverting Eze and Ricky Rampaging wide set up the winning goal. Important to note here that squad depth shouldn’t mean like for like, much of a muchness, but options. We can’t keep playing same way year after year or will be sussed out, and what we do well slowly mitigated by opponents.
No I’m not saying close ANY pathway – what I’m saying is you cannot let go two proven LW PL players, sign one who isn’t proven and rely on untried players in said position when chasing four trophies.
I fully expect MA to use our younger talents in the Carabo cup but to think and expect them to step up into a CL or PL match is unrealistic.
We are already struggling with injuries and to deplete the squad further in the transfer window doesn’t make any sense to me….but we will see!!
“ Facts say we have less wingers than last year;”
But it would also be a fact if you only need 4, but had 104 and reduced it in the summer 57. 🙂
We need to leave room to change up same old same old. With both Kai and Gyokeres crocked for next few months, we try Eze as false 9, suddenly the team is scoring goals galore and far better attack than last season. You never know unless you give yourself a chance to change it up.
Don’t forget red-hot goal scorer Merino.
IMO Merino’s not here to be striker, he’s here as a midfielder, with a physical game, ideal back up for Declan Rice.
Merino had never played Striker till put there by Arteta – and that wasn’t based on goal scoring but being a big strong lump that instinctively challenged for every ball he can. But to be fair, away at Real Madrid, from his pushed up top position, he laid on two world class assists.
Moon Girl,
Having read you’re posts on this subject, it seems to me that you’re just coming up with every angle you can to justify you’re argument.
The fact is, we’ve sold Trossard and Martinelli. Replaced one with Tzolis, and some of the others you talk of are untried. And are unlikely to be thrown into a title chasing side let alone a Champions League chasing side.
I think it’s a case of if you say what you’re saying enough, you might actually start believing it yourself.
If you are saying same as Ken “ No time to blood youngsters when we are trying to retain the PL and win the CL for the first time”
Then we just have to agree to disagree – as that to me is totally wrong. as our main champions league rivals like PSG, Barca, Madrid, Munich chased these wonderkids we have signed for next season, as hard as we did, and those big CL perennial contenders are proven to have no qualms Chucking talented teenagers into big games. Same as Pep years at city defending titles chasing Europe playing teenagers and untried players all the time, wasn’t he?
You think if we get a winning formaluae, just keep doing the same thing and winning, without getting sussed? You disagree with me that we must now keep changing it and finding new ways to win?
And you disagree with simple maths, you need 4 wing options, you have 7 on the books, you let 2 go, so you are actually 1 up not 2 down? Where you have all got it wrong, you see it 2 out 1 in as 1 down, you don’t see it it how many do we actually need, and how many did we already have here before letting 2 go.
England started Eze as left wing option just days ago, and he did just fine. You can’t be saying Eze and Noni ain’t a left wing options, we only have Tsolis? I don’t understand how you can say that 🤷♀️
Moon Girl,
I hear what you’re saying. But we had Eze and Madueke last season along with Trossard and Martinelli.
We then let Trossard go and Martinelli, bring in Tzolis. So we are still a player light in the wide position.
And you mention that other clubs have no qualms playing untried player’s, that may well be. But Arteta doesn’t really throw unknowns into the Frey a lot.
Yes he’s given short spells to Nwaneri, but then dispensed with him. It’ll be interesting to see if he gets recalled back in January.
And he’s given Skelly more game time to be fair, and he’s bringing in Max Dowman here and there.
But I still maintain, those players you mention that Arsenal have brought in are with an eye to the future, not the immediate future.
Maybe I’m wrong, and if I am I’ll acknowledge it with you with a large slice of humble pie. You choose the flavour.😉