Considering the ruin and destruction that Covid-19 has caused all over the world in the last year, and is likely to carry on doing so for 2021 as well, I certainly never thought I would be saying that anything good would come out of it.
But inadvertantly I believe it has, as yesterday Mikel Arteta couldn’t pick two of his favourite Brazilian players in Willian and David Luiz, and suddenly Arsenal looked like a force to reckoned with again.
The boss explained after the game that David Luiz and Willian were missing yesterday due to contacts with Covid-19 He said: “That is for some different reasons. They were having some symptoms, and we have to be really cautious when that happens. The protocols say that they have to stay away, they have to test negative but still we have to be really careful we don’t pass that into the players until we are 100 per cent sure they don’t have it.”
Okay we also lost Gabriel in defence as well as Arteta explained: “We have to follow the guidelines and protocols with Covid, the doctor is on top of that. For how long? We are not 100 per cent [sure] but he was in contact with somebody who has tested positive so he has to stay away for a few games.”
Hmmm, I wonder if Willian and Luiz may also have to “stay away for a few games”?
I don’t think anyone would complain if we carry on playing like we did yesterday!