Mikel Arteta Warns Fitness Crisis Could Undermine The Gunners' Trophy Quest
Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's chase for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.
Latest Squad News
Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain on the sidelines.
There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker added to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle injury.
"Training, no because we lack time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."
Dowman's setback is the most recent in a long series of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the English top flight.
Long-Term Absences
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from knee and "needs more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta rejected the idea that training intensity were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.
Transfer Plans
Even after a major off-season investment over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely looking to dip into the January recruitment market.
"At the moment we're just focusing on getting the players back and with luck it will be a matter of a short time," he said. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."
Next Challenge
The team experienced their first loss in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the top of the Premier League to two points.
Attention now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth consecutive European match.
"The team is frustrated with the result, but we have to move forward," Martinelli said. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."