Arteta Fears Fitness Crisis Could Undermine Arsenal's Silverware Hunt
Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's chase for titles this season is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a grueling fixture list.
Latest Squad News
Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable.
There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.
"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 setback is the latest in a extensive list of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the start of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.
Long-Term Absences
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," according to the manager.
Arteta rejected the suggestion that training intensity were to culprit, citing a shortage of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two seasons.
Transfer Plans
Despite a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely planning to enter the winter transfer market.
"Right now we're just focusing 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 initial defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the top of the league to two clear points.
Focus now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make history by finding the net in a fifth successive Champions League match.
"We are disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli said. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."
