Is it time to replace Tierney? by Jonbo
I seem a little obsessed with injuries at the moment, given this is my third article on the subject in just over a couple of weeks or so. I promise, it’ll be something different next time.
I stand by the fact that injuries derailed our top 4 hopes, but when it came to Kieran Tierney, Arteta could have been better prepared for any possible injuries, because we are all aware of his injury record. Arteta did recognise this as an area that needed strengthening, but it was too much of a gamble with the inexperienced Tavares.
Tierney has spent three seasons at Arsenal and has only managed an average of 29 games per season across all competitions, and only an average of 21 games per season in the league. He has only appeared in over 25 league games in one of those seasons, his maximum being only 27. He wouldn’t have even been fully fit in all of those games either, given it takes a few matches to get match fit again.
I absolutely love Tierney! Quality player, the right attitude, work rate, strong mentality, and captain material. We are so much weaker without him. But it doesn’t matter how good you are if you’re rarely available.
I am one for patience. You don’t just dump a quality player after an injury or two, but the situation does need looking at after two seasons if it has been a continuous issue. We are now into our third season of Tierney’s injury problems. We simply cannot go into another season relying on him as our first choice LB anymore.
Given Tierney’s appearance record, and the fact we’ll have a lot more games next season with European football once again. Tavares could easily end up playing more than 25 games next season… and that worries me! So even more reason to sign a new LB.
I have always criticised Wenger for not dealing with injuries, so the same rule must be applied to Arteta. Wenger stuck by so many injury-prone players that it became farcical in the end! And who suffered? The club and its fans. If it’s some injuries early on, you have to be fair and patient, but if it keeps happening, then you cannot keep dishing out contracts to these players, and refusing to adequately replace them.
Like I have stated, I love Tierney, but it doesn’t matter how good a player is, if they’re rarely available they’re not much use.
Arsenal MUST sign a new LB this summer.
Jonbo
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