Mikel Arteta Fears Injury Woes Could Undermine Arsenal's Silverware Hunt
Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's chase for titles this season is being jeopardized by a worrying cycle of injuries and a grueling schedule.
Fresh Squad News
Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.
There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.
"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 consequence to that and it's a truly vicious circle."
Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive list of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the English top flight.
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 "needs more time," as stated by the manager.
Arteta rejected the idea that training methods were to blame, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years.
Recruitment Plans
Despite a major summer spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club 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 question of weeks," he commented. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."
Next Challenge
The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two points.
Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would all but secure a knockout phase place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth consecutive Champions League match.
"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "It's not like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."