Arsenal overcame non-league side Sutton United last night, in what was a rather unconvincing 2-0 win. The match result means that the Gunners progress onto the next round of the FA Cup, with Lincoln City next up in a cup fixture at the Emirates.
Personally I was disappointed with the match last night, in which Arsenal clearly didn’t play their best football. It was a fantastic tie for Sutton United and a proud moment for the club, but the Arsenal players should once again think about what a terrible performance it was. Without looking back, we take on the positives that we are into the next round of the cup. It has however come with a price to one of our players, Alex Iwobi, who has picked up a foot injury.
Iwobi was withdrawn by Arsene Wenger during the second half of the match, seemingly at the time for rotational purposes. However it may have actually been a case of not risking an aggravation to injury. Iwobi was involved in a studs up challenge against Sutton and although he seemed to have come out of the tackle completely fine; perhaps it began to feel sore a little later on into the fixture. Iwobi was subsequently pictured after the match, showing a well-nursed ankle, which was bandaged up by the club’s medical team.
The duration of the injury is unknown at the moment and he will probably be set for a scan in the coming days. It doesn’t seem to be anything more than a little niggle, or perhaps the bandage is just on for protective purposes of preventing a further concern. I suppose we will be sure to find out in the coming days.
Losing Iwobi at this time would be a blow to Arsene Wenger, given that he was just getting close to achieving a fully fit squad, especially since the returns of Welbeck and Mertesacker. Iwobi remains a very promising player and a regular starter at the club, however with Lucas Perez desperate for a chance to start, perhaps this will be a good opportunity for the Nigerian international to sit out and to be replaced by the man who reportedly wants out of the club, if not given the chance to play!
By AH