Mikel Arteta Fears Injury Crisis Could Hinder The Gunners' Trophy Hunt
Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's chase for titles this campaign is being threatened by a worrying circle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.
Latest Squad News
Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.
There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle injury.
"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But obviously 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 cycle."
Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.
Extended Absentees
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from knee and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta dismissed the idea that training intensity were to culprit, pointing to a lack of time for drills. He emphasized the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two years.
Recruitment Plans
Even after a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely looking to enter the winter transfer market.
"At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a question of a short time," he said. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."
Next Challenge
The squad experienced their first loss in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points.
Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth group victory would virtually secure a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive Champions League fixture.
"We are frustrated with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."