Mikel Arteta Warns Fitness Crisis Could Undermine Arsenal's Silverware Hunt
Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying circle of injuries and a grueling fixture list.
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Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.
There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their European squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle injury.
"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 knock-on effect to that and it's a really vicious cycle."
Dowman's setback is the most recent in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-most total in the Premier League.
Extended Absences
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until the new year.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training methods were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.
Recruitment Plans
Even after a major summer spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to dip into the January transfer market.
"At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "It's clear how crucial those weeks are going to be."
Next Challenge
The team experienced their first loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.
Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage victory would virtually secure a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive European match.
"We are disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," he said. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."
