Mikel Arteta Fears Fitness Woes Could Hinder Arsenal's Trophy Quest
Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for titles this season is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless schedule.
Fresh Team News
Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League clash to Belgium 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 South American striker registered to their European squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.
"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But clearly 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 most recent in a extensive series of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-most total in the Premier League.
Extended Absences
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from knee and "needs more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training intensity were to culprit, pointing to a lack of time for sessions. He emphasized the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.
Recruitment Strategy
Even after a significant summer spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely planning to dip into the January transfer market.
"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he commented. "It's clear how important those coming weeks are going to be."
Next Challenge
The squad experienced their first loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the top of the league to two points.
Focus now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group win would all but secure a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth successive European fixture.
"We are frustrated with the result, but we have to keep going," he said. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."
