Arsenal has been given a small scare ahead of their match against Norwich City this weekend after Emile Smith Rowe was sent home from the England Under-21 camp.
The midfielder is one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted men and had been away with the England youth team during this international break.
He would have expected to have enjoyed his time with the Three Lions, but Sun Sports reports that they have sent him home from their camp because of an illness.
The England Under-21 faced off with Kosovo yesterday and Smith Rowe wasn’t in the team with their manager, Lee Carsley, confirming that he has left the camp.
Carsley told Sky Sports via the report: “[Smith Rowe] was just feeling unwell so we decided to send him back to Arsenal.
“He didn’t feel 100 per cent so the best thing to do for Emile was to send him back.”
This will come as a blow to Arsenal and an unwelcome disruption to their plans for the weekend game.
The Gunners need to beat Norwich who is 19th on the league table, just above them, to get their season started.
It is a game that Mikel Arteta will have no excuse for if his team cannot get all three points and he will hope Smith Rowe recovers in time to take part.
WE have Martin playing that role.
ESR not available will avoid Arteta to play both with 1DM left with too much tasks, no balance. Forces both AM to defend, killing balance as well, going forward.
Must start Lokonga with AMN. Rest, Partey for Spurs, dont risk him. Feature him in last 30mn.
You omit the bit where they say its NOT covid related
YES YOU’D HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING THEY WOULD TELL US!
SADLY, NOT SO!
If our present manager continues to falter when it comes to adopting tactics that best highlight our current roster, ESR’s absence might actually benefit us this upcoming weekend…of course, I rate ESR and would rather have him roaming the middle of the park than Ode, but considering our propensity to deploy a rather insipid 4-2-3-1, which would invariably see ESR shoehorned out wide, not having that option would undoubtedly mean that someone who’s fundamentally better at that role would find their way into the starting 11…the bigger and infinitely more important question for Monsieur Petit-Arsene is when are we going to finally establish a best 11 and actually see them on the pitch at the same f’ing time playing in a formation that best suits their respective skillsets
Xhaka should be reduced to a sub. Same as Elneny. Against norwich, Arteta should try the below
Takehiro White Gabriel
AMN Lokonga Partey Tierney
Odegaard
Pepe Martinelli
3412 formation. the 2 forward roles can be rotated among
I’m liking this line up, saka / martinlle anyone can start and anyone can come onto the pitch.
Goals are a problem at the mo and ESR with Odegaard guarantees no goals atm. We need Auba and Laca to both play as they can score. It will free up the team once goals go in.
Saka, please assist!
ILLNESS SEEMS TO ATTACK OUR CLUB SO REGULARLY. Injuries are at all clubs but WE seem to specialise in illness!
It always amazes me how fit young men so often get ill, while I, who am approx “103 years old”, have not had as much as a cold in ages!
Do you reckon I might even get a game!!
@ jon lol.
I remembered Mesut Ozil during Wenger days, always falling sick many times. Excuses to skip some games i think.
Also, these guys need to toughen up.
We always tend to go back to square 1 whenever 1 player gets injured, its just said that Small Arsene spent 90% of transfers on defensive players, when we had one of the worst attacks last season. He cant even figure how to play both Auba and Laca.