Arsenal Football Club and injury problems have almost become synonymous with each other in recent years, so I suppose we should not have been too surprised to see our first choice goalkeeper pick up an injury in our last Premier League match, the damaging defeat away to West Brom.
According to the injury page here on Just Arsenal that calf strain is likely to keep Petr Cech out of action for about a month, so the fact that there was a two week break for international games scheduled after the injury is certainly helpful. But before we get the veteran stopper back between the sticks there are some big games for Arsenal to face.
That is why this international break could prove to be very handy indeed, as it gives our second choice keeper David Ospina the chance to play his way into some form. He kept a clean sheet against Bolivia the other day to help Colombia rise to fourth in the South American World Cup qualifying table, which would be enough for a place at the tournament in Russia next year.
Ospina will play again against Ecuador on Tuesday and we can only hope that this helps him because he has not been great for Arsenal when called upon of late. Maybe the shipping of 10 goals to Bayern Munich hurt his confidence so another clean sheet could be just what Ospina needs. And what Arsenal need right now is for our second choice keeper to step up until Cech is fit again.
Bob.