Mikel Arteta Warns Fitness Woes Could Hinder The Gunners' Silverware Hunt
Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list.
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Star player Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still unavailable.
There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle 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 really dangerous circle."
Dowman's issue is the most recent in a long list of fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.
Extended Absentees
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until the new year.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.
Arteta rejected the suggestion that training methods were to blame, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He emphasized the strain on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two years.
Transfer Strategy
Even after a major off-season spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to dip into the January transfer market.
"Right now we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a question of weeks," he commented. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the summit of the league to two points.
Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would all but guarantee a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth successive Champions League match.
"The team is frustrated with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."
