Mikel Arteta Fears Fitness Crisis Could Hinder The Gunners' Trophy Quest
Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning circle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.
Fresh Squad News
Star player Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.
There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker registered to their European squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.
"Training, no because we lack time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."
Dowman's issue is the latest in a long series of injuries for the North London side. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the Premier League.
Long-Term Absentees
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until the new year.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta dismissed the idea that training methods were to blame, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.
Recruitment Plans
Despite a major off-season investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the club is not planning to dip into the January recruitment market.
"At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a question of a short time," he commented. "It's clear how important those weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The team experienced their initial defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points.
Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group victory would all but secure a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League match.
"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," he said. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."
