Arteta Warns Fitness Crisis Could Hinder The Gunners' Trophy Hunt
Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's chase for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying circle of injuries and a grueling fixture list.
Fresh Team News
Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain on the sidelines.
There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.
"Training, no because we lack time to train. But clearly the fact that you are missing players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really vicious cycle."
Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of injuries for the club. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most 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 "requires more time," according to the boss.
Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice intensity were to culprit, citing a shortage of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.
Recruitment Plans
Even after a significant off-season investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking to dip into the January transfer market.
"Right now we're just concentrating on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a question of a short time," he said. "It's clear how crucial those weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The squad suffered their first loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.
Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth group win would all but guarantee a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth successive European match.
"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."
