Arteta Fears Injury Crisis Could Undermine Arsenal's Trophy Hunt
Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list.
Fresh Squad News
Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.
There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their European squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.
"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly the fact that you are missing players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly dangerous circle."
Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive series of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the start of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.
Long-Term Absentees
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta rejected the idea that training intensity were to blame, citing a lack of time for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.
Transfer Plans
Despite a major off-season spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely planning to enter the January transfer market.
"At the moment we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he commented. "We know how crucial those weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The team suffered their first defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the top of the league to two points.
Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage win would virtually secure a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League match.
"We are frustrated with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."
