Morning.
By the point you learn this, all our gamers can be injured. I’m sorry to be the bearer of unhealthy tidings, however that’s what’s occurring. We go to Dubai to let everybody loosen up and decompress, and our solely centre-forward picks up an damage. Properly, to be exact, an damage ‘scare’, however the very last thing I needed was for Kai Havertz’s hamstrings to be afraid of something.
The information – reported broadly now which tells you it’s not nothing – is that he picked up an issue throughout a coaching session, the complete prognosis shouldn’t be but identified, and can be decided on the workforce’s return to England – which I assume can be in the present day as they flew again yesterday. On this season, of all seasons, it’s laborious to not fear. Not simply because we’ve already suffered loads by way of damage, however as a result of I feel the choice we made in January in regards to the switch window comes again into sharp focus if Havertz is sidelined for any time frame.
All of us needed somebody so as to add a little bit of high quality, however a degree I made greater than as soon as is that bringing another person in permits to ease the burden on some gamers who’ve performed lots of minutes. Watch Havertz on the finish of the Wolves sport when the ten males dug so deep to get an enormous win. He was completely exhausted. He then performed 90 minutes in opposition to Man Metropolis, and 90 minutes in opposition to Newcastle in a sport that was over with half an hour to go. But we had no person on the bench to show to so he didn’t need to play a meaningless half-hour.
Do all these issues add as much as this hamstring damage? Perhaps, possibly not. It might have occurred anyway. However he, Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka have been within the high 7 of minutes performed this season for Arsenal and all of them have suffered a hamstring pressure of various levels of seriousness. It might simply be a mad confluence of unhealthy luck, to be hit with the litany of accidents we’ve had this season – from Odegaard to Saka to Jesus and now Martinelli and Havertz – however even when that’s the case, you may ask the query about our January enterprise (or lack of) once more.
If you make that aware determination to not add to your squad, you need to settle for the duty if the consequence of that’s gamers break down as a result of they’ve too heavy a burden on them. Earlier than the Newcastle sport Mikel Arteta spoke about the necessity to hold everybody match. Ooops. He additionally referred to Havertz as a ‘genetic powerhouse‘. Oooooooops. I do know the January determination wasn’t his and his alone, it was a collective one involving extra than simply the supervisor, however though we’ve bought a lot proper over the previous couple of years, that is one which they bought incorrect – even when I can perceive the issue they confronted.
So, we’ll wait and see what the complete extent of this Havertz damage is. Hopefully it’s not critical, and hopefully it’s one he can see off with out lacking too many video games. After that we will take into consideration how we cope, however the actuality is that with out him Arteta has an enormous headache in the case of choosing his workforce. Leandro Trossard up entrance with a 5 man midfield behind him (we now have midfielders … for now)? A entrance two of some sort? Repurposing a midfielder to play additional ahead? What else is there?
In the meantime, there was extra damage information yesterday with regards Takehiro Tomiyasu, and the very fact he may require knee surgical procedure on the issue that has stored him out of motion for all however 6 minutes of this season. We talked about him a bit on this week’s Arsecast Further, and I’ve to say initially I really feel actually sorry for him (and for us).
He’s not somebody who doesn’t deal with himself or lives a poor way of life. He’s a terrific professional, diligent, hard-working, however who has been so unfortunate with damage. I’ve mentioned this earlier than, however there’s one other universe the place we discuss Tomiyasu as a master-stroke within the switch market. Barely £16m for a high class right-back, left-back and centre-half, who provides you depth in each defensive place. I absolutely perceive conversations about his health, I don’t get anybody who questions his high quality.
He’s an absolute dream of participant, however clearly availability is one of the best means, and he hasn’t been capable of keep match persistently. It’s such a disgrace for him, and for the workforce, and the very fact he wasn’t on the journey to Dubai informed you one thing was happening with him. I do know folks get pissed off with gamers who’re injured or unfit, which I perceive to an extent, however this morning I hope folks can put that to 1 aspect to really feel sympathy for a person who has tried his finest however whose physique has let him down.
In case you’ve ever performed soccer, you’ll know the worst factor in regards to the sport shouldn’t be with the ability to play it – for no matter purpose. The identical applies to most professionals because it does to these of us who dwell for our Sunday League fixtures, and it have to be so powerful for Tomiyasu to cope with (please don’t come at me with the pay-packet stuff). Fortunately, Arsenal have a squad constructed to deal with his absence (the polar reverse of our attacking points, btw), however on the coronary heart of this can be a nice participant whose finest years at a giant membership will possible go him by. And by the point he’s match once more, the workforce and the squad could nicely have moved on – leaving him with little possibility however to do the identical. I want him all one of the best with the surgical procedure and the restoration, and I hope he can come by this to tug on our shirt once more in some unspecified time in the future.
Proper, I’ll depart it there for now. Have a terrific Wednesday, particularly should you’re crying your coronary heart out someplace.