We recently discussed how our Arsenal Women missed their midfield General, Lia Walti, in the last months of the season. The 31-year-old sustained a knee injury following Arsenal’s 3-1 WSL loss against Chelsea in mid-March.
Prior to her injury, the Swiss midfield sensation had 13 stats from 15 outings. She did not score throughout that stretch of games, but she did provide three assists. While we discussed her absence due to injury and provided an update in which she stated that she is close to returning, the 2018 recruit from Turbine Potsdam has provided a further update on her injury.
Walti admits that the knee injury that has kept her out for the past 3 months is not her first, so she had an idea of how to deal with it. She indicates that she is on the verge of returning, as she can now walk freely without pain and is relieved that she has ample time to recover from her injury. She’s eager to make up for lost time next season, where she intends to play a lot while remaining injury-free.
Walti told BZ, “It’s not my first injury, and it’s like always when you have to go through something like this: sometimes things go very well, sometimes there are obstacles. I’m currently in a phase with obstacles. But I can walk relatively pain-free. It’s good that I still have time in the summer to get fit. I want to have a good next season, play a lot, and stay injury-free.”
Lia Walti is undeniably an important member of this Arsenal team; she brings calm and control to the midfield, and we hope she will continue to do so next season.
Walti’s role for Arsenal Women will be even more critical in the 2024-25 season now that we have received confirmation that 25 year old Dutch international, Victoria Pelova, has suffered a devastating ACL injury which will keep her out of action for most, if not all, of the 2024-25 season.
Will head coach, Jonas Eidevall, need to look to the market for a replacement? Will he not allow young Kathrine Kuhl to go out on loan again?
What are your thoughts Gooners?
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JONAS, A VARIETY OF THOUGHTS (1) PLS LOOK VERY HARD AT THE TRANSFER MARKET INTERNATIONALLY, SEE WHO IS WORTH BRINGING IN, BUT STICK TO YOUR STATED POLICY OF QUALITY, I MEAN REALLY TOP QUALITY (2) YES PLS BRING OUR GENIUS LIA WALTI BACK AS SOON AS SHE S READY, I KNOW YOU WILL (3) ANOTHER ‘NO BRAINER’, PLS USE KIM LITTLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, (4) PLS CONVINCE KATHRINE KUHL TO GAIN HER EXPERIENCE AT ARSENAL, DON T SEND HER OUT ON LOAN ATM, TRY OUT OTHERS OF OUR ARSENAL YOUNG PLAYERS, (4) INCREASINGLY BRING IN KATIE REID SPECIFICALLY TO THE 1ST TEAM, , CONSIDER IF ONE OF OUR GREAT DEFENDERS SHOULD BE TRIED AS A MIDFIELDER ? (KATIE REID, HERSELF, OR WUBBEN MOY OR LEAH OR I RECKON MCABE, COULD DO IT (5) AS FOR PELOVA, I M DEVASTATED ABOUT HER ACL NEWS, I ASK TO PLS CONSIDER IF BETH MEAD CAN FIND TIME TO HELP PELOVA, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS, MEDICS / PHYSIOS ETC … BETH S OWN COMEBACK FROM ACL HAS BEEN SENSATIONAL, HOW SHE OVERCAME HUGE CHALLENGES FAST, OH WOW, HOW I DETEST ALL THESE ACL INJURIES !!!