Arsenal have been handed a fitness boost as Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Debuchy have returned to training following surgery for ankle and shoulder problems respectively.
The captain has had an injury plagued season with a series of calf strains that ultimately were traced down to an ankle problem that required an operation. His last game was November 26th against Dortmund, and it’ll be a few weeks yet before he’s ready for first team action.
Debuchy, meanwhile, has been out of action since the 3-0 win over Stoke on January 11th when, after a sly push from Marko Arnautovic, he dislocated his collar bone.
He too needed an operation to fix the problem and is now very much on the road to recovery. Like Arteta he’s not likely to start playing again for a little while but it’s good news that the experienced duo will be available for what’s going to be a very testing final couple of months of the season.
There was further good news as Gabriel returned to training after picking up a hamstring strain against QPR just 12 days ago. He’s expected to be in the squad for tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Monaco.
Welcome back Mathieu….. Not so much Mikel..
Now that’s just mean, ya big meany!
Typical reaction from a fan who likes players that can *run around a lot*. You will never understand the importance of plyers like Arteta.
i look forward to see what Arteta can do beside Coquelin – if those two click …
Arteta is a vital hinge in wenger’s philosophy, he is the metronome in a possession dominated maps.
I still prefer Arteta to Coquelin.
Mikel is excellent in games where we have a lot of possession….
Consider, if you will, some of our captains since Henry left. Mr. Gallas, whose display at St. Andrews was nothing short of disgusting, and who openly admitted to being a mercenary. In fact, before leaving Chelsea he threatened to deliberately score an own goal if he wasn’t granted a transfer. Consummate professional there. Mr. Fabregas, who spent two years angling for a transfer to his ‘dream’ club, and who buggered off to watch the Grand Prix rather than attend the last game of our season at Fulham. And of course, Mr. Van Persie, who showed his love for his club… Read more »
You have a short memory.
He is our captain, the players love him.. get a clue
You mean welcome back Mathieu, Gabriel and Mikel and well done to Shad Forsythe and Tony Colbert on the rehabilitation programme.
Forever COYG!!!
You will be proper chuffed with Mikel when he comes on for the last 10 minutes of the FA Cup final and knocks the ball around to help us retain our 2-0 lead and the cup..
Getting our boys back when it counts! Run-in, you are our bitch! COYG!
That’s a post I can get behind.
Rosicky has to start tomorrow night.
Has to?
Instead of…
Sanchez, Cazorla, Ozil, Coquelin, Ramsay or Welbeck?
i love the slidey bastard and wouldnt be upset if he played tomorrow but i dont see “has to”
Have you any justification or is there some sort of mandate from fifa?
Lighten up you Clown.
you have to lighten me
If he did that he pretty much is entitled to anything
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io4qRq4NMj4
Isn’t Rosicky injured?
Illness. Didn’t travel was last I heard.
Great news!
I always look here for training pics:
http://www.gettyimages.nl/EditorialImages/Sport/ArsenalFC
I have a superstition of not seeing any training pictures or to not visit arsenal’s offical site a day before any game. Don’t know how this became a thing for me. But I’ll do it if it gives us any better chance of winning.
Don’t ask for logic :p
Speaking of, who’s No. 79 on the last pic?
Not sure but he has lovely hairless lady legs.
Shad is amazing
3-0 at monaco
..to the Arsenal
Could be 4-2
And we’d be eliminated. We need to win by three regardless of how manmany Monaco scores.
A math expert eh?
That would make it 5-5 on aggregate and we go through on away goals.
Atcually if the score is 2-4 to us, we would qualify by AGR as they would have 5 and we would have 5. But as we scored 4 away, it would mean the score is 8-9 to us thus Arsenal qualifying.
Wow. I don’t know whether you came up with that, or it already exists, but assuming aways goals as 2 goals is a really cool way to measure home-away value of a goal, honestly. Shows how bad we were in the first leg: they beat us 6-1 then.
Another genius speaks.
For those who are still unclear, here’s what it say in the Laws Of The Game on the topic ” Procedures to Determine the Winner of a Match or Home-and-Away”: Away goals, extra time and kicks from the penalty mark are the three methods approved for determining the winning team where competition rules require there to be a winning team after a match has been drawn. Away goals Competition rules may provide that where teams play each other home and away, if the aggregate score is equal after the second match, any goals scored at the ground of the opposing… Read more »
Look all we ask is go and give it one heck of a fight. Give us the chance to dream…..
Instead of knocking Arteta down let’s take a moment to appreciate how far the Coq has come.
Months ago, most of us were wishing for the calm of Mikel Arteta in midfield, today we dont even miss him in midfield as much as we used to.
I did miss him when we conceded possession against team like Leicester at home.
I hate Stoke.
Thank you for stating the obvious. We all agree and can add John Terry, Spuds, Maureen and Phil Collins to that list. (That last one is for Blogs)
Blogs speaks for all of us regarding Phil Collins. I downloaded a bunch of Disney movies for my kids and one of them was the animated version of Tarzan. We were all excited to sit down with some popcorn and have some family bonding time. About 5 mins into the movie I realized that this was the Disney movie that allowed Phil Collins to do the whole soundtrack! I paused the movie and pretended that it must be broken. My son was upset at first, but then we watched 101 Dalmatians instead. Now he wants a f**kin dog. I blame… Read more »
Bright side: bellerin has been fast tracked to becoming a good attacking first team member.
Arteta reminds me of Beckham because of his professional behavior and the ability to adapt his game to the team and situation he is in and get the maximum from his abilities. I hope save Theo can accomplish the same in his life. Arteta also makes almost every player around him better…what more can you ask. Remember that he was more of an offensive mid at Everton who came and adapted into a very good DM. You might even say he was integral to maintaining our record in CL qualification based on what he provided when he came into the… Read more »
Arteta gets the maximum out of himself and is still mediocre, so he should only play a few small games hopefully.
Oh yeah, he has balls of steel, hair of the gods and takes a mean ass PK too!
Gabriel you robust bastard. Must be the quickest hamstring recovery ever.
Also he has good hair…
Seriously , what’s up with diaby ?! Did we forget to bring him back from one of the away games ?
I saw him training with handsome Bobby, Debuchy and Arteta on sky sports news this morning. So you never know he may just get a couple of games in before the end of the season.
Fingers crossed areta is sold in the summer!
Such good news I could Shad myself.
Squad depth always welcome, Arteta may not play every game in the future but he can still have an important part to play, we saw how important it was to play compact against City and United, Arteta dictating passing from deep with Coq breaking play up could be a very astute partnership, specific games and all that. As for Debuchy he’s had rotten luck and looked so impressive when he was fit, covers for CB’s really well on counter attacks, great in the air and aggressive both defending and attacking. Hopefully next season is not interrupted for him, great options… Read more »
They need to channel the energy and spirit of the 5-1 win at Inter Milan.
It will be a nervy 90 minutes for sure.
Score early, and keep the pressure on, you just never what will happen.
Football is a funny game sometimes.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Sod the energy and spirit, just channel the score.
If we win 5-1 I, for one, wouldn’t be too upset if we did it playing like spavined donkeys.
Having Arteta back can be nothing but a good thing, he is the ultimate professional and has been such a quality captain for the squad. Much of what he brings to the squad is under-appreciated much like with Ozil’s contributions. The quality of our possession has not been the same since he has been out. Coquelin has done an amazing job, especially defensively, but we have sorely missed the quarterbacking play of Arteta from a deep lying position and have not been the same possession oriented team. Will be interesting when Debucy and Arteta are available how Wenger will try… Read more »
My 11 vs Monaco
Ospina
Bellerin, Kosc,Per,Monreal
Coq
Rosicky, Carzola, Ozil, Sanchez
Geroud
Arteta is quality. Wenger brought him in to stabilise the ship when he realised the Denilson generation was not going to deliver. Arteta kept us solvent with his experience and leadership despite the spate of high profile departures over the next few seasons. Having said that, he is nearing the end of his career and whilst still quality on the ball may not be as physically able to keep up with age. That he has yet to sign the extension may point to the player’s decision to take stock at end of season. Likely he will leave. We will retain… Read more »
Debuchy may need a new role invented for him.
Bellerin and Chambers are going to give him a good run for his money.
Thought Chambers was a bit suspect defending but going forward, his technical skill and crossing were a joy. Better than Jenkinson who tends to cross blind.
Debuchy’s return is a mighty (nice to have) headache. What to do with Bellerin? Maybe he’ll move up to cover for a right-forward position (perhaps leading to the sale of Theo – still no contract past 2016) and be able to provide the defensive addition AW so enjoys towards the end of games where we are leading by the single goal.
Arsenal now has so much of depth. Some international players will not make it to the squad on match day. Couldn’t believe this would happen during my lifetime. Thumbs up to Arsene and injury god. Hope I did not speak too fast.
Gabriel back after 12 days? I remember Giroud came back with 4 weeks to spare; Wilshere, 3 weeks and Ramsey, one week. These are not coincidences; something good must be happening in the treatment room. I think we may have dislodged the greatest obstacle to our title challenge next season.
If we still fancy winning the monaco game, why not do it with style?
Let it be among the greatest comeback!
The identity crisis that ManU is facing at the moment is down to the absence of players like Arteta and Rosicky who know what it is to play for Arsenal. Team morale is as vital to a team as it is to have players with good skills