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 nations throughout this Interlull, information drops about an harm subject for a type 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 towards Newcastle (however did come on for 20 minutes on the finish). He missed Premier League video games towards Leicester and Southampton, the Champions League tie towards PSG, and each EFL Cup ties this season to date. For a man who was principally ever-present final season, that instructed you there was one thing happening.
The conclusion I drew was that he was being managed fairly fastidiously all through this season to date. Maybe Arsenal appeared on the fixture checklist and thought the run of video games after this explicit Interlull made essentially the most sense by way of timing, if he did must go below the knife. I perceive when folks ask why he didn’t have the surgical procedure throughout the summer season if this was an ongoing subject, I assume the reply is that they’ve been doing all the things they’ll to keep away from getting so far. As a lot as potential you wish to keep away from that possibility, however clearly now there was no different selection. All we will do is hope the operation has gone properly, and the restoration is as fast and straightforward as potential.
Knees will be difficult issues. We’ve talked just 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 data, however he had a foul harm then two surgical procedures (one main, one minor), which is likely to be a part of why he’s struggled since. The chances are there are myriad causes for Jesus’s decline, however on the lifeless centre of them is a knee harm and two operations, so fingers crossed for Ben White.
It definitely offers Mikel Arteta a little bit of pondering to do about how he units up on the suitable hand facet any further. The apparent substitute is Jurrien Timber who can play on the left to good impact, however who appears to me extra dynamic on the suitable. Which ought to 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 finest efficiency for us got here there when he tore up and down the suitable facet within the 4-2 win over Leicester. He ended that recreation with an help and seven key passes to his identify, and for me he’s by far essentially the most convincing possibility now we have obtainable in White’s absence.
After that, I actually hope we get Takehiro Tomiyasu match as a result of he’s the subsequent finest 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 very good participant, so now can be a really, very helpful time for him to discover a interval of health and availability. The workforce wants him.
It additionally signifies that the left-hand facet will probably be impacted. All going properly, 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 choose Mikel Arteta went with one in all his extra pure choices fairly than shifting folks 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 fairly one in all them there and Timber on the suitable than extra of what we’ve seen at occasions this season.
Even right here, the presence of Tomiyasu can be so helpful, as a result of he and Timber are so versatile both of them may do the full-back jobs. Tomi on the left is one thing we’ve seen earlier than, and it has labored properly, so I’m gonna hold all the things crossed he can play a component. Am I going to place an enormous wager on him being obtainable? 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’ve some gamers in worldwide motion afterward, so mild your candles and say your prayers. Again tomorrow with extra, in addition to a model new Arsecast.
Till then.
