According to the Guardian, Arsenal could be without club captain Mikel Arteta for several more weeks as he struggles to overcome the ankle and calf problems that have plagued him this season.
Three separate spells on the sidelines have seen the 32-year-old restricted to just 11 starts this season with his last in the 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the end of November.
It had initially been predicted that the Spaniard would return at the tail end of last year, but with his problem unresolved it looks like the total length of his latest lay-off out could total nearly three months.
Arteta missed 25 days between August and September due to ankle ligament damage picked up in the Champions League qualifier with Besiktas and was forced off against Sp*rs and Anderlecht with calf problems that ruled him out for three weeks at a time.
Worryingly, Arteta was one of a select group of first team regulars who actually completed a full pre-season. In his absence Arsene Wenger has had to recall Francis Coquelin from his loan at Charlton to provide competition and back-up to Mathieu Flamini.
In addition to Arteta, Arsenal are also without Mathieu Debuchy, Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby, Serge Gnabry ahead of the trip to Manchester City. There are also doubts over the fitness of Danny Welbeck and Kieran Gibbs.
Balls
Coq
would love to know what happened to gnabry…very exciting player imo
It’s a great question
There really hasn’t been much attention to his injury.
I saw a picture on his twitter of him doing electrotherapy in June which suggests he had some sort of ligament problem in his left knee. He came back to full training in October and returned to action in the U21 at the start of the November but then probably came across problems simmilar to Walcott’s, maybe some sort of a setback or not beeing quite ready. We should see him soon, I hope.
Serge?, i agree,,,,very exciting talent. he has that rare mixture of power, pace and creativity in his game….. what happened to him? anyone know?…..
It’s just pipe dream to have fully fit squad!
Not a slight on any specific player but just the way life is for our players for a good few seasons.
AFC QUIZ of the week.
Subject:AbouDiaby
(a) Is he a professional Footballer
(b) A professional convalescent
(c) A figment of our imagination.
Answers on a postcard please TO.
PROFESSOR A. WHINGER
WARD 1O
Casualty House
HURTFOOTSHIRE
S1 cky
The captains’ curse continues. When is the last time we had a non-injured, non-stroppy and non-deserting captain? Bah.
Poor Mikel, we certainly could have used you this season. I hope you Arbeta soon.
But I think our captains set the best examples. I’m talking about our current captains.
10/10 for arbeta
Ballocks
Whip your Coq out Arsene, it’s going to be a messy one.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo 🙁
If possible, we need a DM this jan.
diaby will be fit again soon so hes lans
Better tell farmers they need to tie their pigs to the ground then.
We just cannot catch a break!
oh we can!! so many! sadly they are all in some players’ bones and our hearts
And at the same time Daley Blind is back to full fitness a full 3 or 4 months early. Should ask united for details about their sacrificial rituals to the injury gods
No Arteta leaves us only with the Coq to provide some balance to our offensive line-up, don’t quite fancy Flamini although I know his stats has shown improving numbers, wonder if Wilshere could have made the role his if he was available during this period, he did perform quite well for England in the sitting role, this news however doesn’t change my gut feel that we will secure a defender this window and not a “specialised” DM.
I feel so, so sorry for Mikel. Usually gets undeserved criticism when he’s in the side, which only subsides when people realise how much better we are with him in midfield. and has had an awful run of injuries.
What’s going on with Diaby? Does anyone know?
He broke down again with the thought of having to play. I think the ball scares the fitness out of him
He’s joined the marvel avengers team. With hulk and thor they wanted a 3rd tough guy
Very gutted for Arteta, good leader on and off pitch, team played so well with him this season…
Get well soon.
Oh dear, same old story – three weeks becomes six, becomes …
Happy (and surprised) that Coquelin has been performing so well. Three great displays that should keep the Flamster (much as I love him) out of the starting side, but maybe AW will play both of them on Sunday.
Get well soon, Mikel.
Coq comming in to the rescue.
Santi, Sanchez, Rosicky, Ox (Walcott to come on as 2nd half sub after our first half thunderbolt of a goal courtesy of The Ox! & the Flamster pops up to join Le Coq in holding role as Giroud replaces Rosicky and calls the target tune with the 3 ‘Tenors’ pulling the Orchestral strings in the ‘diamond’). What say ye, we wreck Havock, pick their lock and end the session with a quick fire treble to add to our first half Ox- Chamberlain monster strike? COYG!!!
Not sure when we was with Diaby but out of something bad comes something good Wenger with an erect COQ # saviour
Time for a complete overhaul of the DM position. At his age Arteta cannot be depended upon. Flam and Coq are just squad players. Need a Busquets type of player to compliment the defense.
Let’s be honest, three long term first team injuries (with all due respect to Gnabry and Diaby), two doubts and one permamently semi-crocked Koscielny is as good as it ever gets for us.
Several more weeks has just turned into three months.
Fuck me… reports saying that Arteta has had ankle surgery and will be out for ANOTHER 3 months.
Love our Coq but think we have to act like a ‘big club’ and pay the extortionate price Southampton will demand to let go of Schneiderlin in January. He’s not cup-tied (CL) and some say Schneiderlin was our target for ‘long term’ Arteta replacement in the summer, anyways.