Arteta Warns Injury Woes Could Undermine Arsenal's Silverware Hunt
Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's chase for honors this season is being threatened by a worrying cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.
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Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain unavailable.
There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker added to their European squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot injury.
"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly dangerous cycle."
Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.
Extended Absentees
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from knee and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta rejected the idea that practice intensity were to blame, citing a shortage of time for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two years.
Recruitment Plans
Despite a major off-season spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely looking to dip into the January transfer market.
"At the moment we're just focusing on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of weeks," he commented. "It's clear how important those weeks are going to be."
Next Challenge
The squad experienced their first defeat in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.
Attention now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage victory would all but guarantee a top-eight place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth consecutive Champions League fixture.
"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli said. "This isn't like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."
