Mikel Arteta says the injury problems at the club are the biggest impediment to Arsenal’s success.
Currently out of the side due to a recurrence of a calf-strain, the Gunners captain was asked by Spanish newspaper El Pais what he felt was missing from Arsenal’s attempts to win the Premier League.
“The only thing we lack is to have continuity in the first eleven to make us strong and efficient as a group,” he said.
“And that, with the injuries this year, is impossible.”
Pressed on his own future as a player in his 30s, the Spaniard said it was up to him to ensure that the next generation of Arsenal midfielders are given as much help as possible as they develop their careers.
“That time will come,” he said, when asked if he’d have to spend more time on the bench. “I’ll turn 33 in March and it is natural that some younger players will take my position. It is generational.
“And also one of my responsibilities – in those circumstances there won’t be any ill-will, my job will be to assist them. And I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no long the right man or that the other player is doing better.
“But for now I really enjoy football and I love the competition, I love it.”
Having spent time at Barcelona early in his career, Arteta was asked if he was still a fan of the club.
“My feeling came from the Cruyff era and that’s not lost, and I try to pass that one to my children. But right now I am a Gunner and they sleep in their Arsenal shirts!”
Although most people think that deep-lying midfield position is one that can be improved, there’s no doubt in Arseblog News’ somewhat fragile mind that from the current squad Arteta is the best man for the job.
Get well soon.
Top professional.
I think when he says ‘injuries are killing us’, he means it literally. Look at Diaby and Gnabry. I mean they must be dead, that’s the only plausible reason we don’t hear a word about them. Anyway, get well soon.
Top Man,Missing him greatly.Hurry on back.
P.S. Afraid another headline in the category of stating the obvious.
Yes injury might have killed us but I know there will be a resurrection. Believe!
Just realized his initials and number becomes MA8, which fits him perfectly. Great guy, get well soon mate !
boring excuse
And it’s exactly that attitude which means that idiots like Jamie Carragher trawl out the the same tiresome narrative about “lack of leadership blah fucking blah”, to perpetuate anger amongst Arsenal fans. Anything to avoid reflecting on the most prominent “boring” reason for our poor form this year; almost half our squad absent week after week leading to burn out in those who are fit (Ox, Alexis etc) and preventing any consistency to our tactical set-up and style of football, which as we know won’t make the headline story Sky Sports are looking for.
It’s all too easy blaming the media for our shortcomings. Most fans & even idiots like Carrager could see that we are criminally short in defense. Wenger took the gamble and its blown up in his face… We have willingly given the media all the ammo to attack us with… What else do you expect simpletons like Carrager to talk about? In any case, our injuries doesn’t stop rotation within our front line… Ox/Sanchez can be rotated with Podolski/Campbell. Wenger admitted Sanchez is in the red zone yet plays him every game. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s… Read more »
We have one injury to a central defender and we have to play a right back in defence, our other CB and Vice Captain turns to shit when not playing with his best mate. We try to play with only one holding midfielder when the two options we have in there are awful. I don’t think having a fully fit team will make up for crap management, it didn’t last season or the season before, we still got hammered by the big teams and still will. Fine we might beat Leicester instead of losing but we should be doing that… Read more »
You knew this would happen
Sometimes it best to say nowt at all
Ticked down…..
The truth often is boring.
And that itself is a boring statement, but it’s true!
Love me some Mikel.
Worthy captain… top professional. get well soon
We’ve heard that Arsenal have left no stone unturned in their quest to find the source of all of our injury woes. I think it is time to face facts. One of our medical team is a Sp*rs fan and is slipping Snaptendon juice into the players’ daily vitamin supplements.
Find The Mole and Fix The Team!!!
Get well soon commander….. Any succession plans now?Life after Henry….Life after Cesc… and perhaps life after Arteta?GOING FOR MY THREE POINTS TODAY.
What a man. It’s good that we have good professionals in our team
D skipo! Nice guy.
Reading the title I was ready to say ‘same old’ but reading everything he said about retirement, his kids wearing Arsenal jerseys I’m thinking like everyone else ‘top professional’.
No hair joke eh?
I really think that if we manage to sort out our injury problems and can consistently have our strongest XI or maybe even 9 of them and having our bench also available we could really be a huge threat. But alas it does not look as if our injury woes are going away anytime soon… On the bright side, it seems as if it’s not only us that are suffering from injuries. But we are constantly every season at the top of the injury list… But no use banging on a drum that’s already been beat to death… Since PSN… Read more »
Great guy and I agree he is the best we have to play the role. But that is the crux of the problem. He isn’t good enough for the position. Matic is the benchmark and hes miles off him
Don’t know why you’re getting thumbed down; but it is the truth.
However, i’d take arteta at 25 over matic now though…intelligent player.
look at chelsea.they continously start they regular 11 week in week out
Top professional, can see why he’s a well-respected figure in dressing room. Love him so much, get well soon Captain.
Arteta is a perfect captain in many ways. What I would give to make him young again…
if we buy right in January, we could get there.
Even though CB is our most pressing daily need, the mythical DM would spur us on to many more road victories. Also, Arteta changed his game to play where he is now, he could rotate in and also help at CM.
What I’m looking forward most to in the new Arsenal year is finally being able to see Özil at CAM feeding the blistering pace of Sanchez, Walcott and Welbeck. That could be a strike force to rival some of our best throughout the years.
I remember Arsenal going to Old Trafford with only one or two of the starting XI and got demolished 7 or 8 years ago. Another time, one of the two competitons remaining in the season had to be sacrificed due to injuries. In 2020, we will be discussing same issues again. Anyways, today I need a convincing victory. Will take it each game at a time. Feel Welbeck will be the man today.
Nope. Besides the 3 points, you got it all wrong
Arsenal can go on a 10 game winning run and people like you will start complaining the minute we fall behind in the 11th game. “See, I told you we need a DM/Keeper/CD/Striker. Wenger out.” With supporters like these, who needs opponents?
Absolutely top bloke!
So nothing new. First team players should be back in January, bar Wilshere (February). If everyone stays fit until then, and we don’t get long-term injuries in the mean time, I think our second half of the season will surprise many.
Injuries have ruined teams style most seasons but also red cards to our team players but most of all fresh gd signings can brighten gunners team gd win today look at top four.
So happy to have Mikel as captain. Top fella!
Arteta is(was) a good player, but here’s the problem – he’s lost his legs and is not as mobile as he once was.
I always felt wenger should’ve signed him 2 seasons earlier than he did, who knows, we might not have had to wait 10 years to win a trophy.
He’s a good player, but we need someone better in his position.
For some reason i just want him to win a match against chelsea scoring the winner before he retires,one of arsenals unsung heros