Arsenal’s squad depth has been praised since the start of this season, and the club might have found itself in a far more difficult position had it not increased its numbers across the pitch. The assumption was that by having two or more players available in most areas, the team would be suitably protected against injuries. Yet this expectation has not aligned with reality, as Arsenal have continued to struggle to keep their full group fit.
Growing Injury Concerns and Defensive Pressure
In almost every match, there appears to be a new injury concern, and the latest setback involving Cristhian Mosquera, as reported in the Metro, has further complicated the situation. The loss of William Saliba and Gabriel had already weakened the defence, making Mosquera an important figure as he stepped in to support Piero Hincapie. His contribution had helped to provide some stability, but his injury has now opened up another significant gap that requires immediate attention.
With Mosquera unavailable, Jurrien Timber has been required to move into the centre back position. He is entirely capable in that role and has shown reliability whenever he has been called upon. However, he has played an extensive amount of football this season and is clearly in need of rest, yet Arsenal cannot currently afford to give him the break he requires. The unrelenting demands on Timber underline the strain that injuries are placing on the squad.
Depth Revealed to Be Thinner Than Expected
This situation brings into focus an important truth about Arsenal’s supposed depth. While the numbers on paper suggest a larger squad, the constant threat of injuries reveals a more fragile reality. The club may have believed that having many players available equated to genuine depth, but the recurring fitness issues show that the squad is not as robust as anticipated. Arsenal’s experience this season demonstrates that having numerous players is not enough if too many key figures are at risk of being sidelined, leaving the team more vulnerable than previously understood.
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Its not an illusion. If we didn’t have a big squad we wouldn’t have ANY defenders. 3 out and 5 still standing. All internationals and thats the concept of a squad.
Exactemente
SueP,
Don’t you mean Exactemondo. 😂👍
Are you referring to the Fonz Derek?
SueP,
Happy Days. 😂 Did you see what I did there.😂👍
Strange how we had 3 of our 3 strikers injured and now most of them are back, were missing 3 of our 4 CBs
How is it an illusion?
Arsenal have Saliba, Gabriel, Mosquera and Hencapie, as centre backs.
3 of them are currently injured two long term injuries and Arsenal are still getting results.
If Man City lost their 2 best defenders, they would suffer, they can just about defend without their best defenders missing.
Then you have Liverpool; without Van Dijk what would happen to Liverpool?
The same question can be asked about Aston Villa’s defence, if they suffer multiple injuries to their best defenders.
This is true but now that we have a more accomplished squad it apparently makes no difference- something I can’t agree with
Of course there is a difference. There are the obvious starting players, but expecting those down the pecking order to be as good is at best off the mark. They are better than what we had before but some are still at the embryonic stage and learning the ropes as well as a couple who are established but not quite the best
I’m far from complaining as following on from you, we’d be in a pickle
Agree with your thoughts Ryan.There is not a side in the EPL who could cope with the loss of 3 high calibre centre backs without a drop off in their defensive capabilities.
Very true
No not an illusion as you don’t expect to lose 3 centre backs and half of your attacking options.
Nope. We’ve still got Calafiori and Hincapie for the CB positions, but Arteta chose to trust the small Timber there
Well the small Timber you are talking about won most of the aerial duels he was in. Me thinks or actually what I saw!
He just played against Watkins. He’d likely struggle in aerial duels against much bigger CFs
No illusion about our depth. The fact that we still have four centre halves out there pretty much says it all, but the footballing gods are out there to do whatever possible to stop Arsenal winning a title.
What about Norgaard? He can play DM / CD why isn’t he hardly ever considered? Bring him on midweek and see how he does. Seem to remember he was very capable at Brentford.
White-Calafiori-Hincapie-MLS.At the Back on Wednesday.
White-Timber-Hincapie-MLS. Next Weekend.
White-Saliba-Hincapie-Calafiori. Against Everton.
All posible solutions.
A squad is made up of 25 players + youth players. This translates to two players for each outfield position and three goalkeepers. We have four CB’s – the maximum you can have without compromising other positions.
We also have White,Timber and Calafiori who can play CB. And young Marli Salmon.
It is never any illusion, we have a big and strong squad. But what really baffles all of us is how come our players get injuries so often and almost easily. This has become the elephant in the room.
Everyone talks about what if other teams’ key players got injured, well, they don’t, not as often or as prolonged among the champion contenders. Either we are so unlucky, or, there is something we need to learn about player usage and training and medical team or others. Our chances of champions have inevitably been ruined or impacted by injuries.
MA and his team must look into this, the way our players are out of position, lack of rotation, training intensity or more. We can’t just sit here and hope Haaland or other team’s key players get injured, that is illusion.
Arsenal have a good squad. The cover is very good in some areas. However, injuries to key players can occur and that would inevitably affect performances. That does not mean the squad strength is illusory. There are just so many injuries that even the best squad can cope with.
Unfortunately, some people keep trotting out the “no excuses” agenda as if the cover is infinite.
The issue of injuries also keeps popping up in another type of discourse. The causes of injuries are multiple and addressing them is complicated.
We have at least 3 players for each defensive position. Please stop these clickbait headlines.
How many top level players do Arsenal have for each position when there are injuries?
Every PL team can field a team of 11 players on any given match day; it doesn’t mean they will be at the same level as their first choice players.
Name a player and I’ll give you two replacements from our squad.
If you were replacing one player at a time there would be less of an issue. However, here you have 3:defenders out.
Take the RB and RCB situations which are amongst the stronger areas. What are the options now if Saliba remains out? As we have ended up playing our best RB at CB.
This has been a dreadful bout of defensive injuries and I don’t understand why White isn’t playing RCB, unless he’s not at that level anymore.
But it were our fans who said we had the best squad in the world
I think we have depth, actually more depth than we’ve had in a while now
I think the author of the article is delusional 😅 how can u have 3 defenders out and still coping and not call that squad depth, or are we suppose to have infinite number of players?
We actually have squad depth. If we didn’t have maybe we would have been 5th by now.
No team in this world would lose their 2 main starting center backs and not drop a few points along the way.
Against Club Brugge –
Skelly. Calafiori. Hincapie. White.
Against Wolves –
Skelly. Hincapie. White. Timber.
Against Everton –
Skelly. Hincapie. Saliba. Timber.
Gyokeres.
Trossard. Odegaard. Saka.
Rice. Zubimendi.
Calafiori. Gabriel. Saliba. Timber.
Raya.
Havertz.
Martinelli. Eze. Madueke.
Merino. Norgaard.
Skelly. Hincapie. Mosquera. White.
Kepa.
Havertz – Germany Intl.
Martinelli – Brazil Intl.
Eze – England Intl.
Madueke – England Intl.
Merino – Spain Intl.
Norgaard – Denmark Intl.
Skelly – England Intl.*
Hincapie – Ecuador Intl.
Mosquera – Spain U23.
White – England Intl.*
Kepa – Spain Intl.*
Jesus – Brazil Intl.*
Nwaneri – England U21.
Downman – England U19.
Our defence was properly built for the season and if it were not for these injuries they had given us a great foundation to achieve something this season.
I hope when both Saliba and Gabriel come back, Arteta will keep rotating them with Hincappie Timber Mosquera instead of waiting till an injury strikes coz these 3 have proved very able replacements.
My concern is on our forward line.It doesn’t fill me with confidence at all. infact the reason that may make us not to succeed is our failure to outscore our opponents.
I never envisaged a situation where this season we would still be depending on Merino for goal.This situation needs some serious addressing if we hope to achieve success. If by January kai&G.j will still be unable to play effectively we should thinking of new signings.
With Semenyo and Mateta seemingly on the move, we should actively be looking to sign them in January.These two will surely add something to our attack compared to what we have.
Even if it’s on loan or a swap with Martinelli and Gabriel. J moving in the opposite direction then so be it. It may not as straightforward as I wish but something must be done on our L.w and C.f positions. I can’t imagine another trophy less season.
The squad depth is very good. The problem arises when the replacements also get injured at the same time.
For example, Saliba, Mosquera and Gabriel all being out at the same time.
Having Gyokere, Havertz and Jesus all out at the same time etc..
The loss against Aston Villa was not because of the CB, it’s was an accumulation of different factors. Our attackers only scoring a single goal giving Villa that hope. The defenders also being nervous. Aston Villa not looking intimidated and always dangerous because they were smelling blood due to our lack of killer instinct in the match. We gave them too much encouragement and luck went their way in the 95th minutes.
It’s very frustrating that we always get an opportunity to pull away from the pack but don’t seem to take that opportunity. When Liverpool or Man City are leading for the title, they normally pull ahead by 7 to 8 points very early on. Or they will come from behind.
We are still ahead but we have got to take out opportunities and make them count. That game against Man City, Away at Chelsea with 10 men. Away at Villa to keep the pressure up etc.
The season is still early but it’s understandable why some people are getting nervous again, we have been here before so many times in this Arteta’s tenure.
It’s just really frustrating.
Is there any legal or contractual loopholes to return Ayden Heaven or Dan Ballard? Heaven esp is suffering on Utd bench. Let’s emancipate him.
It must be noted that Ben White is a central defender who is being used mainly as a right back. On that note we have 5 capable central defenders. What I don’t get is why does Arteta use Timber centrally instead of White? We have a big squad but the midfield area is not adequately covered. Disaster we fall on us if we get injuries to Rice and Zubimendi. That area doesn’t have enough numbers and there are no junior players who have been used we can call upon. The funds used to buy Madueke should have been used to add players who can cover Rice and Zubimendi.
Norgaard & Merino.
Only Norgaard can fill in. Do you honestly think Merino can play as a DM?
Probably not, but he CAN “cover Rice”.
As he is doing tonight.
It’s been a long time White played as a CB, Timber plays CB for the Dutch national team.
Okay, a lot of words, no data to show how we look like with injuries comparing to other teams competing for PL title. How is this possible that it happens every season for us? It can’t be only our league intensity, because what players were missing for Liverpool last season, when they won PL title? Can we support at least some articles with data, diagrams and comparisons? Is this due to Manoel Marcelo Ribeiro, our masseur, that has just left us and that worked for Chelsea before (he spent there 15 years)? Maybe our player’s injuries were an inside job? Why did we hire this guy at all? Was this Edu choice to appoint him, like some players he brought from Chelsea, that his friend, Kia Joorabchian, was agent of – Willian, David Luiz, Cedric Soares?
In 2021 season Liverpool had similar defensive calamities losing 3 CBs at a time due to longer term injuries. Van dijk, Matip and Gomez. Then they were forced to promote from the academy. Let’s try that option as well than moving out and repurposing players from their normal positions.