Arsenal came back from the long enforced lockdown looking in pretty good shape, with just Calum Chambers on the long term Arsenal injury list, but now after just two games (or two defeats should I say!) we are now looking in serious trouble.
Granit Xhaka lasted just minutes of our very first game against Man City, and the medical team have already said his ankle is sprained and he will return to training “in a couple of weeks”.
Pablo Mari lasted 25 minutes longer in that game, but his ankle problem is worse, and is described as “significant injury which is currently undergoing further specialist assessment.”
Cedric Soares, who has yet to play a game for us and may never will if we go on like this, was hit by a ball in training and has a broken nose (sorry, nasal fracture) and will return in a couple of weeks as well.
Lucas Torreira, who had a long term ankle problem but we thought would be ready for the restart, is still in rehab after his recovery and won’t return to training for the next “two to three weeks”.
The big Greek Sokratis has only got a “Mild strain to right thigh” but he is also out for the next two weeks as well.
Then we have Bernd Leno, who was stretchered off yesterday against Brighton, could be out for a week or a year until we get the results of his tests. Arteta said “It’s a knee injury, I think he had a hyperextension of the knee and we have to assess the damage.” So, that is a wait and see, but according to onlookers it looked very bad indeed. Let’s assume that he will be a long time Arsenal injury victim and we won’t see him again this season.
So that is seven players out with injury, plus of course David Luiz, who won’t be travelling to Southampton after his red card, and it looks very likely that Matteo Guendouzi will also get some sort of ban for his attack at the end of the Brighton game.
Mind you Ozil is yet to kick a ball since the restart, maybe Arteta will be forced to play him now.
Picking a team to face the Saints will certainly not be easy for Arteta at all…
It never rains but it pours! Really not looking forward to it…
We knew it was bad hearing him scream and leave pitch.
Arteta lack of coaching experience is causing this chaos.
He simply can’t pick right line up with all players available.
Therefore, he is forced to make less wrong choices, having less players to messed up line up with. Won’t make it harder but easier to not mess up.
Even then, he is still an assistant coach in his first head coach experience, developing and making all mistakes needed for him to grow.
You must not blame him for trying but Kroenke for picking cheapest option to shut us up, happy fans & our ex Captain! Everyone was happy!
He will get blamed and another one to give fans hope and all happy again!
Fortunately, losing lot of money, he is probably in talk or planning. He will then first cash up on all bankable players, then sell club with our young team with strong potential!
Hopefully this can happen Asap, start of with a n owner who is an Arsenal and football fan.
Bring Wenger as President and a young coach with winning mentality and experience… Get this all board puts here!
For heaven’s sake Mogunna
How on earth could you manage to find a reason to blame Arteta for Leno’s accident?
I can’t comment on the rest because the first two paragraphs upset me too much to read the rest
WHY WORRY ABOUT HIM AND HIS COMMENTS SUE P? After all he has been giving me cause for raucous laughter ever since he started on here. He is hardly a serious thinker now, is he!
A sad reaction, yes of course we are upset and bitterly disappointed but Arteta needs time and the team desperately needs supporters. They are very low on confidence and need help not sack everyone criticism.
Arteta inherited a poor arsenal side, and even the best coach in the world would struggle to manage current team.
The board need to borrow to enhance the team and sell players not good enough with money generated re invested in team rebuilding.
Agreed. But Yesterday we lista with a team with so much worse players…so, no excuse
Ike, as did Emery. The issue is not going to be solved by churning through head coaches; the Arsenal squad is a shadow of its former self, with players lacking ability, character and physical and mental strength.
The major failing under Kroenke ownership has been his inability to select a Board and senior management team with the football knowledge and contract management skill and financial nous to run this Club.
Wenger President, Viera as coach and i see Henry as director of Football.
That’s what Arsenal club should look like next season!
Wenger & Henry sitting with all Arsenal legends at Emirates!
Everyone had a great game, deserved a win. Great coaching & tac tic!
Arsenal must learn to play like Stoke/Bolton,etc. These teams have a robust style of play . Arsenal are playing dancing/ballet soccer .It wont do in England because its the English Physical League.
Some tackles or challenges overlooked will be rewarded with a yc or rc in the cl.
Yes, play like Stoke or Bolton so that we can stay clear of the Premier League.
BTW, don’t belittle professional dancers – requirements for technique, discipline, resilience and physicality are just as intense as other professional athletes.
And we have danced and balleted our way to the trophies big and small for more than 20 years. Which trophy have Stoke and Bolton held up in the same period of time?
The only thing this arsenal team needs is commitment and a mid field that can link defense and attack,
During wenger’s Reign we were poor defense wise, but then our midfielder were very good the link up was swift and precise.
That can’t be said of the current team, we won’t stop supporting the team, however if we don’t fix the core issue especially the mid field the gold will hardly come or dry out, worse is our defensive setup can’t have a clean sheet to save their lives.