Morning.
Properly, if this isn’t the season that retains on giving. As we fear concerning the gamers who’ve gone away to play for his or her international locations throughout this Interlull, information drops about an harm situation for a kind of who has stayed behind. Ben White has undergone surgical procedure on his knee to appropriate a long-standing downside, and is reportedly going to be out for one thing like 6-8 weeks.
I don’t suppose it’s an enormous shock. There was chat about him carrying a knock for a while, and simply a few weeks in the past, he was deemed not match sufficient to begin in opposition to Newcastle (however did come on for 20 minutes on the finish). He missed Premier League video games in opposition to Leicester and Southampton, the Champions League tie in opposition to PSG, and each EFL Cup ties this season thus far. For a man who was mainly ever-present final season, that informed you there was one thing happening.
The conclusion I drew was that he was being managed fairly fastidiously all through this season thus far. Maybe Arsenal regarded on the fixture record and thought the run of video games after this specific Interlull made probably the most sense when it comes to timing, if he did need to go underneath the knife. I perceive when individuals ask why he didn’t have the surgical procedure throughout the summer time if this was an ongoing situation, I suppose the reply is that they’ve been doing every thing they will to keep away from getting thus far. As a lot as doable you need to keep away from that possibility, however clearly now there was no different selection. All we will do is hope the operation has gone nicely, and the restoration is as fast and simple as doable.
Knees might be sophisticated issues. We’ve talked lately about Gabriel Jesus and the way the knee harm he sustained on the World Cup has impacted his profession. Clearly I can’t say 100% as I don’t have his medical info, however he had a nasty harm then two surgical procedures (one main, one minor), which may be a part of why he’s struggled since. The chances are high that there are myriad causes for Jesus’s decline, however on the useless centre of them is a knee harm and two operations, so fingers crossed for Ben White.
It actually offers Mikel Arteta a little bit of pondering to do about how he units up on the proper hand facet any longer. The apparent alternative is Jurrien Timber who can play on the left to good impact, however who appears to be like to me extra dynamic on the proper. Which must be no shock, he performed most of his profession earlier than becoming a member of us as a right-back or a right-sided centre-half, and though the pattern measurement is small, I believe his greatest efficiency for us got here there when he tore up and down the proper facet within the 4-2 win over Leicester. He ended that sport with an help and seven key passes to his identify, and for me he’s by far probably the most convincing possibility now we have accessible in White’s absence.
After that, I actually hope we get Takehiro Tomiyasu match as a result of he’s the subsequent greatest in that place. It’s an enormous if, I realise. His harm points have been many and various, which is such a disgrace as a result of he’s a extremely good participant, so now could be a really, very helpful time for him to discover a interval of health and availability. The group wants him.
It additionally signifies that the left-hand facet will probably be impacted. All going nicely, Riccardo Calafiori can keep match after the Interlull, as a result of that’s your first selection left-back proper there. If there are video games he has to sit down out although, I’d favor Mikel Arteta went with one among his extra pure choices reasonably than shifting individuals out of place. Your mileage will range on how a lot we will or ought to depend on Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior or Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, however I’d reasonably one among them there and Timber on the proper than extra of what we’ve seen at occasions this season.
Even right here, the presence of Tomiyasu could be so helpful, as a result of he and Timber are so versatile both of them might do the full-back jobs. Tomi on the left is one thing we’ve seen earlier than, and it has labored nicely, so I’m gonna preserve every thing crossed he can play a component. Am I going to place an enormous guess on him being accessible? No, I’m not as silly as I look, however I can hope all the identical.
Proper, that’s your lot for this morning. We now have some gamers in worldwide motion afterward, so gentle your candles and say your prayers. Again tomorrow with extra, in addition to a model new Arsecast.
Till then.
