Morning all, it’s a moist, gray Saturday in Dublin and regardless of the very fact there’s most likely superb sunshine in Dubai, there’s a little bit of a cloud hanging over the Arsenal coaching camp this morning.
That’s as a result of we acquired information final evening that Gabriel Martinelli might be out for ‘greater than a month’ after selecting up a hamstring pressure towards Newcastle on Wednesday evening. Clearly that’s not excellent in any circumstance, however coming only a day or so after the switch window closed in a month when Arsenal selected to not bolster the ahead line, it brings that call properly and really again into the highlight.
With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus sidelined as properly, it signifies that our remaining entrance three choices from the official first crew listing are Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling. Ethan Nwaneri (together with Myles Lewis-Skelly) are at present listed as midfielders within the Academy part.
Talking earlier than that Carabao Cup semi-final, Mikel Arteta was requested about what he needed to work with in assault after the chequebook remained closed, and he stated:
We’re going to must be very versatile within the frontline and now those that we have now, ensure that they keep match and preserve contributing. Leo can play in that place, Raheem has performed in that place, Ethan I feel can play in that place, Martinelli can play there so let’s see in relation to how everyone is; the second and opponent, however in some unspecified time in the future, we’re going to must attempt one thing totally different.
‘Ensure that they keep match and preserve contributing’ – Sssshhh, Mikel. Don’t say something out loud for the remainder of the season. Greater than a month for Martinelli would see him miss the video games towards Leicester (A), West Ham (H), Nottingham Forest (A), and name into query his availability for the journey to Outdated Trafford and the go to of Chelsea – after which we go into the March Interlull the place any remaining gamers we have now will likely be crippled by some ogres on swamp-like pitches throughout Europe and past.
I suppose the one factor to say is that it makes crew choice fairly easy for Arteta. His means to attempt one thing totally different has been scuppered by this Martinelli damage, and a entrance three of Trossard on the left, Havertz within the center, and Nwaneri on the fitting is the perfect we have now obtainable to us proper now. In that sense, it’s an actual alternative for the 17 yr previous who has demonstrated his high quality this season, however will now have an opportunity to point out he can do it with some consistency.
The most important downside is clearly the truth that it leaves us with little or no on the bench if we have to change a recreation or badly want a purpose. I really feel a bit like a damaged document relating to Raheem Sterling, however he simply doesn’t appear to be somebody who can contribute at this degree any extra. In case you might choose one participant to come back again from Dubai feeling invigorated and like their previous self, it will be him, however that’s actually, actually lengthy shot. Past that, I do know some younger gamers have gone out – Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Ismeal Kabia are the 2 attackers who’ve featured a bit this season – however how prepared the supervisor thinks they’re is one other factor.
I suppose, within the absence of anybody else, you most likely must gamble a bit on considered one of them on the expense of a left-back whenever you’re selecting your squad. Except there’s one thing in Arteta’s thoughts about shifting items round in a approach we don’t anticipate. Is there, maybe, a strategy to shift Myles Lewis-Skelly additional ahead figuring out you need to use Riccardo Calafiori at left-back? I do know it doesn’t do a lot for the entrance three, however past sticking a giant lad up prime – Rice, Merino – in desperation, I don’t know what else there may be. Kieran Tierney as a left-winger? Carlos Vela is out of contract, convey him house to chip us to the title.
Anyway, as I stated, it’s removed from excellent and it feels completely typical of this season to date. Hopefully Martinelli’s absence will not be so long as the reporting says, and he’s again prior to that, however till then Arteta has a headache that received’t be cured by a sprinkly-salt-meat-wanker feeding him bits of overly-expensive rib-eye in his crap restaurant, that’s for certain.
For some further studying this morning, Tim’s column on media protection of Myles Lewis-Skelly this week is important.
Have an ideal Saturday people, extra right here tomorrow.