Mikel Arteta Warns Injury Crisis Could Hinder Arsenal's Trophy Hunt
Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for honors this campaign is being threatened by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.
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Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain on the sidelines.
There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle problem.
"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing 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 most recent in a extensive series of fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the English top flight.
Long-Term Absences
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel MagalhĂŁes are not expected to be back until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the manager.
Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice methods were to culprit, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two years.
Recruitment Plans
Despite a significant summer investment over ÂŁ250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to dip into the winter recruitment market.
"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of a short time," he commented. "We know how crucial those weeks are going to be."
Next Challenge
The team suffered their first loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points.
Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage win would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth straight successive Champions League match.
"The team is disappointed with the result, but we have to move forward," he said. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."
