Full Arsenal injury update – Aubameyang and Smith-Rowe added to growing list

Just a couple of weeks ago, Mikel Arteta was in the enviable position of having nearly a full Arsenal squad to choose from, but with this afternoon’s game against Rock-Bottom Sheffield United coming up, it has now been revealed that two more players are now unavailable for the game.

We found out in midweek that David Luiz had had some knee surgery which may cause him to miss the rest of the season, and Kieran Tierney will be sorely missed as well. His knee won’t need an operation like Luiz, but he will still be out for most of the rest of the campaign.

Martin Odegaard is still suffering from his injury picked up on international duty, and Emile Smith-Rowe twisted his ankle against Slavia Prague but was expected to have recovered for today, but according to David Ornstein he will also miss today’s game.

The most interesting new problem is that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is suffering from flu, which I thought had been practically eliminated by our masks and social distancing rules. Our captain has been very out of sorts for a while and has continued his poor form after being dropped for the North London Derby. He was only brought on for the last 20 minutes in Prague and was castigated by Mikel Arteta after the game for missing a “tap-in”.

Maybe this is similar to one of Wenger’s famous imaginary illnesses?

There is one little bit of good news…. Calum Chambers is back in the squad…

20 Comments

  1. Things aren’t looking so great but maybe some of this will help Arteta give some of the players who we all want to see get a shot some chance
    For the record
    Arsenal last visit to Sheffield is as follows 2 defeats two draws
    In 4 premier league games at bramwell lane arsenal have failed to win there than any other ground…
    Well all this shouldn’t Matter at all. All that should Matter is the premier league table and they are rock bottom with 17 goals all season
    And for today’s game this is actually the first time in a long time that I don’t feel anything what so ever going into a game
    I don’t care if we lose 1 nill or win 5 – 0 today
    For the first time I just don’t care if we are playing not like previous when I am always eager to see my team play
    I feel so dejected that I don’t even care anymore
    I don’t feel confident or feel anything coming into this game
    No arsenal fan wants us to lose even though I want us to win convincingly but the truth is this club and team with the cr@p performances we put in almost all season have drained all the energy I had in supporting this team..

  2. The game completely changed on Thursday once Auba and Pepe were introduced. Yes Auba should’ve scored, but he assisted what I thought was to be the winning goal… or was I missing something??
    Sheesh…

    Unlike everyone else, I hope he’s fit for Thursday…. as well as ESR.. otherwise I hate to think how it’ll pan out!!

    1. Morning sue
      I do hope Auba is fit bit I wouldn’t start him a.d use him from the bench
      We have had to carry him fkr along.g while when he starts and Thursday we can’t to carry any one
      Would start.pepe and he or sake can go left or right but start we have an out ball down the left. As for willian he sits on the bench. Only thi g he showed us was how walking 🚶‍♂️ football works
      High energy. Quick tempo
      High press and iwould bench lacca as he looks so unfit

      1. Good morning, Alan 🙂
        Fair enough – let’s hope he has the same impact as last week! Last chance saloon…

        I hope we come through SU unscathed, as I’m already anxious over Thursday and any more injuries will be disastrous!!

        High energy & quick tempo!! Yes please!! From the off and not 20 minutes into the 2nd half!!

        Walking football 😂 You never know, Alan, they may surprise us!!

      2. Alanball08 take it or leave it bro, our only chance of winning this Europa cup is if we have a fully fit aubamayang, I just laugh when I hear some say we should start Lacazette or Balogun in a crucial cup match. As poor as aubamayang as been this season, it was his goals that still take us to this stage.

        1. Nice one, Lenohappy. Most people have turned on Auba.. he’s this season’s scapegoat 🥺 It saddens me reading some of the comments about him… he hasn’t been as prolific, granted, but our poor season isn’t down to just him.. in all comps he’s still scored 13?

          1. Sue the truth is some of this fans don’t know the basic thing about being a striker, if anyone think Lacazette will win us the europa league then they are in Dreamland, when we get to the semi final against a team like Villarreal you need a striker who is clinical, yes aubamayang is not presently in form but he’s still the best we have.

  3. Let’s wait for official reports but obviously Auba is not happy for a minute now; not scoring as he has been burried on LW all season long instead to play him as CF.

    He has been supportive of Arteta by accepting this but after a while, this tac tic is not helping team and has him totally lost.

    Auba is a winner spirit, thought we had chances with reinforcement in the back and DM we were weak at

    But he ends up on LW not scoring and Luiz imposed ruining CB area instead to improvring it as supposed to.

    Partey and Xhaka forced to cover and more defensive task, unbalances and has us weaker overall…

    Shouldnt be an issue to miss players with squad we have; with all due respect to Sheffield,; we play bottom team….But yet already scared….

    Leno
    Bellerin Gabriel Holding Ceoares
    Partey Chambers
    Xhaka
    Nelson Laca Martinelli.

    Give a rest to Saka before he falls appart…

    This is solid with Nelson and Martinelli running back help defend as Xhaka, able launch passes to atrack…

    He will play Ceballos and keep Saka, probably on RW and play Martinelli or Pepe as LW instead of on right wing and Saka where he is best in Europe LW!

  4. Todays game is a must win to build some momentum and confidence.
    Also according to athletic and FR,MA has the full backing of the club and players so most probably irrespective of the European qualification MA will stay so i will like him to try some new things in the league,give more chances to youngsters etc.

    OT

    THE FEELING YOU HAVE WHEN YOUR OTHER FAVOURITE TEAM BEATS THE ONLY UNBEATEN TEAM IN THE EUROPES TOP 5 LEAGUE IN 2021….#ElClassico #MismoPasion

    I hope Arsenal will help me keep that feeling🙄

    1. Every game for as long as I can remember has been a ‘must win’ 🤪

      Benzema 🔥 What a goal!! Now to finish Pool off on Wednesday 👍

  5. Arsenal has a squad which in theory should blitz the Czechs.
    I am already looking to the final.
    Roma, Ajax or Man Utd.
    Roma is the team I’d wish to avoid in the final.

  6. Although only on for 20 minutes, I at least thoght that Auba really tried on Thursday, which hasn’t been the case this season.

    As for Sheff Utd – perhaps this injury raincloud has a silver lining. With only a statistical chance of Euro qualification, a vital game in a few days, and playing the side anchoring the table, surely this is the ideal scenario to play a whole clutch of youngsters? In particular Martinelli, Balogun and Azeez, but also Nelson, Lopez, Moller. The fans would certainly love to see it.

    Not that I expect it to happen, which for me means another minus mark against Arteta.

    1. @guy, I would love to see the players you have mentioned play today especially as the league is now dead to us and they can try and stake a place on the squad to face Slavia.
      @admin, social distancing? I don’t think some these over privileged players stick to the rules, like how did he get a new hair cut recently?

  7. My line-up prediction:

    ……………………… Ryan
    Chambers . Holding . Magalhaes . Soares
    ……………. Ceballos …………. Elneny
    Pepe ………….. Willian …………. Martinelli
    ……………………… Lacazette

    1. Not bad apart from Ceballos and Willian, I’d rather see Chambers at DM with Bellerin at right back and Azeez in midfield.

      1. I also want to see Chambers back to the DM position, but maybe Arteta would keep Bellerin for Prague

  8. The race for top 4 I all but done. But we still should aim for top 6 atleast.

    What arteta needs to do is use this as a chance to play some of the players like pepe, martinelli and nelson who need a chance to prove them self.

    I think back to.just before Xmas when willian was injured and a few.others and we had to play ESR now we can’t imagine him not in the squad

  9. Play the reserves as it’s a dead game. Don’t take any risks. Lets bring back the 442!!!

    ……………………….Ryan
    Bellerin Chambers Mari Lopez
    Nelson Ceballos Elneny Willian
    ……………Nketiah Balogun

    My prediction: 1-1

  10. Xhaka as our creative attacking midfielder!!! 🤣🤣🤣 … can’t make it up … would play Leno there before that!!!

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors