Mikel Arteta Fears Fitness Woes Could Undermine Arsenal's Trophy Quest
Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's chase for honors this season is being jeopardized by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.
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Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable.
There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.
"Practice, 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 knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."
Dowman's issue is the latest in a long list of injuries for the club. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the English top flight.
Extended Absences
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel MagalhĂŁes are unlikely to be back until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.
Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice methods were to blame, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.
Transfer Plans
Despite a major summer investment over ÂŁ250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely looking to dip into the January recruitment market.
"Right now we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a matter of a short time," he said. "It's clear how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The team suffered their first loss in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their advantage at the top of the league to two points.
Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group win would virtually secure a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive European match.
"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," he said. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."
