According to the Guardian, Santi Cazorla could be sidelined for up to three months by the knee ligament damage sustained against Norwich.
The news – which would be bad at any moment in the season – comes as an even more serious blow given his midfield partner, Francis Coquelin, is also out for the same period of time with a similar knee problem picked up two weeks ago at West Brom.
Alexis Sanchez looks likely to be out for most of December, while Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck aren’t expected back until the New Year.
In better more upbeat news Mikel Arteta and Theo Walcott look likely to return soon and Laurent Koscielny – also injured at Carrow Road – should be fit for Saturday’s game with Sunderland.
Given we could be without our first choice midfield pairing until March you can’t help but think we’ll have to be an active force in the transfer market when it opens in January.
Bielnik for starting line up!
Anyone?
Krystian Bielik, the prodigy who’s so good that no one has bothered to learn how to spell his name!
Oh my word
With Arteta, Flamini and Rosicky out of contract at the end of the year i really hope Wenger digs deep and tries to bring in some midfield quality on 1 Jan. He’ll be in the market in June anyway, so hopefully he’ll just push the boat out… Either that or Crowley does a Coq and Jack comes back on fire. I’d hate to see another title challenge fizzle out. Fingers crossed…
The January transfer window has its usual caveats: top tier players unavailable, particularly with the Euros coming up; players that are available are overpriced; no time for new player to settle in.
I think the best we can hope for is a relative unknown with potential to explode e.g. Suarez to Liverpool.
I’m no negotiator but I’d draw attention to the following (in a bid to allay fears of missing out on euros) 1) you are guaranteed a place in our CM for at least 3 months. There is no guarantee coq and Cazorla will be at full speed after that so conservatively 4. 2) arteta rosicky Flamini out of contract 3) jack injury prone 4) Cazorla is no spring chicken If a quality player was pitched all of this I would like to think they’d at least be interested. Failing that, if he goes for a Suarez type up and comer… Read more »
Tielemans and Rabiot would be great, but a young player like that would need a bit time to settle in, adapt to the Prem etc. But then again, any acquisition is (almost) good acquisition with the current state of our injuries! Just trust in Wenger making the right choice for the club.
Didn’t Suarez score something like 50 golds for Ajax the year before Liverpool. Not so unknown, I think. I might have misunderstood your point, though.
It’s the fact that he continued playing that kills me. Who’s to say the injury wasn’t aggravated from a 2-3 week thing to the 3 months because he continued to play? Like Ozil v Chelsea. Need players to be smart/coaching to lay down law if needed.
Let’s look at the bright side: Cazorla will have returned and gotten match-fit for the Europa League final in May.
Or FA Cup final…
seeing as you looking on the bright side – Champions League final – he’ll get a run out in the FA cup final to get up to speed then smash the final
Murphy’s law.
Cohesion isn’t going to be on form either with those two missing.
As soon as Arteta comes back I would love to see a Ramsey and Arteta midfield. Best solution in my opinion. Brings back cohesion and they complement eachother really well
It may be the ONLY solution. That is the worrying part. Putting Ramsey in a position where he can’t be his best, next to a player (who I do love, and can do a job) that can’t play for 90 mins. Who knows?
£1,000 says that Ramsey AND Arteta will both suffer long-term injuries within the next 3 games – one of them out for 3 months, another one for the rest of the season
Another £1,000 says Flamini will be out for 3 months sometime during the Christmas schedule
Another £1,000 says Chambers will be out for the end of the season come February
Another £1,000 says Crowley and Bielik will get injured in the reserves some time in between
£10,000 says Wenger won’t buy any cover in the Jan transfer window…
gee aren’t you an optimist..
Yes I am a fucking optimist. £50,000 says that even after all these injuries as listed above, we’ll still finish above Spurs and Chelsea.
At what odds? If it’s evens, then I’d say those bets look mightily attractive, except maybe the last one. They’re all possible, but not more likely than not.
You’re on… Where do I collect?
Plot twist – Bonjour is Leon
Chambers and Flamini, time to show what you can do.
I can only laugh… if our title challenge wasn’t in peril with the Coq injury. It certainly is now.
Another season, another set of crippling injuries… this has basically been happening every year since 2004
Happening since 2004 and always random ! Is the earth flat ? I don’t remember.
Again a player finishes a game while injured. We have many problems in this regard but I find that the most infuriating. How many times have we been stung by this? Particularly Ramsey. For the sake of having a half fit player for an extra 30 mins. I realise he was injured anyway but this has to have exacerbated the problem.
Time for Ramsey to prove his mettle from the middle.
Get well soon Santi Claus.
Wilshere and Rosicky like new signings. Can’t wait to hear that
Certainly the injury gods are dealing with arsenal
I’ve given up on this season.
I get why injuries are annoying. Really frustrating, obviously. But the league position is still pretty good at this point. I remember a recent time where we were in a worse position with our only ambition being 4th. And we made it despite the “gap”. We like doing it the hard way. I will continue watching with pleasure and excitement, despite the occasional anxious comedy value.
There comes a point with the pain and agony just turns into a teary eyed laughter.
*when*
Think we’re all way beyond the stage of teary eyed laughter by this point.
I’m doing the Walter White in the crawl space under the house right now.
Active force in the transfer market? WEnger?
I can understand why he didn’t but any outfield players in the summer. Rosicky and wilshere. They never get injured for long periods. Ramsey Walcott and the ox. Those guys never get injured either.
This just out!
“The New Arsenal Midfield Deep Pairing: Ramini – Flamsey — Goals, Tackles and Yellow Cards.”
Bring on the New Era!
COYG! Let’s win it this year!
How about Flambers or Chamsey?
“Knee-monia – an arsenal story
Starring Coquelin, welbeck and Santi Cazorla”
Anybody else fancy a cheeky bid for Mahrez this January? Young, technically gifted, can play centrally in midfield, or on the wing (which Wenger seems to like). He reminds me of Santi, the way he collects the ball in deep lying areas and carries it through the midfield. I can’t see Leciester saying no to a bid between 15-22 million.
Mahrez is definitely going to get bids in January. He’s a winger, not a central midfielder, though. It’s possible he could be retrained there like Santi but that isn’t something you want to do to a new player in a team.
Leicester definitely won’t want to leave him though and he’s got a long contract so I don’t see that going anywhere unless it’s for silly money (25million+).
there were rumours before the season that we had a bid rebuffed
Well isn’t this a punch in the gut.
U know, we really are getting better at this. Like seriously, the Coq -Cazorla axis ripped off before December? Yes we always have injuries but this is a new high (or low), depending on your assessment of the situation. Still 2 points off the top, remain in touch till January (will be challenging, I know) and then march to the title with everyone fit and firing in the last 15 games
Adonbilivit. Are we the most unlucky club in the world?
Fucking fuck.
Flamini or Chambers or Arteta is a combination which MIGHT actually work in short term. If we are strong enough to challenge for the title, these guys have to start working beyond their capabilities. Every season we have some combination which surprises us. Remember our defense in the CL in 2006? This is something we need to hope for.
Just looking at a bright side. #fuminginside
They don’t need to do EVERYTHING together
Time for Ramsey to step up. Cazola wasnt having the best year anyway.
Fuck this shit. I’ve got no hopes whatsoever from this season now. Just a few weeks ago it was looking as if we could genuinely win the league, no chance now. Fucking injuries, why the fuck do they always affect us more than any other team in the league? Every single season! Fuck’s sake.
Oh well. It was nice fantasising of a title challenge this season.
Still, hopefully Santi will be back in time for our usual late rally to secure 4th in April.
Bound to lose some more against fat Samsung cloggers.
He absolutely cannot trot out the garbage about no players being available that would strengthen our squad.
Yes that was true about 10 injuries ago but when you’re thinking of playing Chambers in midfield and recalling youth players on loan, that argument is redundant.
Unbeleivable that many of us still call this “bad luck” when we are the club with worst injury records for years already.
We’re so lucky that everybody are so poor this season, that ‘s the only way we can keep in touch with the top.
If this is true, then Wenger has to be lining up potential signings for completion on the the first day the transfer window opens. There can be no excuse now if both Coquelin and Cazorla are out for 2 months.
3 months*
He won’t sign anyone! He’s too stubborn
More chance of us bombing Syria and that restoring world harmony with Isis in retreat than aw spending a penny more for a player that we are desperate for
I agree, unfortunately
Ramsey (if he can stay healthy) and Wilshere (if he can get healthy) are the candidates to play there until Carzola’s return, but those are both big ifs. However, losing Ramsey out wide to move into the middle makes us even thinner there with Alexis out. Chamberlin is just returning so likely he may not be able to play full 90 for a bit and also potentially get hurt again which would leave us with Gibbs and Campbell as the outside mids. I wonder what the odds on that would have been at the start of the season. We just… Read more »
If Arsenal wear that stupid kit again, I am going to tear my hair out of frustration.
Kit by Numbers:
Matches vomit-inducing kit worn in: 3
Matches won in above kit : 0
Goals shipped: 9
Goals Scored: 2
Injuries suffered: 5 (off the top of my head)
Ugh, I leave on a cruise for a week and come back to utter injury Armageddon. I’m curious about the League Injury Table. It seems to count number of players out injured at any given moment, but IMHO that is deceiving. Having a player miss 1 or 2 games with a minor injury is far less disruptive than losing that player for 1 to 2 months, for example. American football analysts are starting to look at stats that measure the number of games or game equivalents lost to injury by starters. This seems more meaningful to me and I suspect… Read more »
Please don’t go on another cruise.
According to the half-baked analysis referenced in the Telegraph and Barney Ronay’s article in the Guardian we haven’t lost the most days to injury using that metric.
Unfortunately that analysis is bull shit, in that it doesn’t take into account the injuries suffered last season and in pre-season, i.e. those to Welbeck, Wilshere and Rosicky, who have missed EVERY GAME so far this season.
I have faith in this manager to build a good playing style. Faith in his commitment and loyalty to footballing principles.
Faith in his stingy ass to spend money? Fuck no. He’s an economist when it comes to that. Plus I doubt he wants to win much anymore.
If we sign anyone it will be on January 31st after the busy holidays period. By then we will be out of the title race already. Why am I so pessimistic? Must be the lack of good news recently.
Let’s see Beilik and Chambers come through. I believe atleast one out of those two, or the Jeff will come through this year. I believe we will survive, and win something worthy at the end of this year. The odds or too much in our favour.
I believe.
If it wasn’t for all the other injuries I’d say this could be a blessing. As a good a player as he is, I believe he is main reason that our attack is so slow and predictable. Nonetheless, the fact he was allowed to play on when we had another sub left is absurd and shows complete incompetence on part of medical team and manager.
You know, Cazorla has probably been one of the most robust players we’ve had (alongside Giroud) in terms of injuries.
He must’ve made a deal and has been deferring it – payment’s due.
people keep going on about potential title challenge but reality is its Dec just started and there is 5/6 months left of the league. I say we take it game by game (cliche i know) instead of looking to far ahead. Sunderland on Sat will be difficult as walrus will not bring his team to play we need a team fit enough to win that and the match in Greece.
This news makes me stomp the ground….hard.
R
And with fat cunt big Sam who will put the final nail in the coffin ( or whatever the expression is) by being extra physical, we can expect a few more injuries. The word will be to get a go at Ozil. I fear the worst.
Might be a good time to experiment with Ox down the middle – Ramsey & Flams are not on the same wavelength at all – and Ramsey is a fantastic footballer but as Wenger himself says, he gets a bit lost in that deeper role without a technical player around him such as Santi or Arteta. Ox too has his weaknesses but is technically better than Ramsey – Ox’s weakness is brain freeze after he’s done the hard bit & needs to square a simple pass or shoot in the box – so I know their “natural” positions are completely… Read more »
It’s that hideous blue kit.
if kos is back at the weekend thats a mere miracle on its own after the way he left the field in agony all our other injuries are short term come unexpected long term minor op etc we all know jan aint the time to do buisness for quality players and the price is hiked even more when they know our treasure chest. this squad i always thought is capable and having quality in every position we are contenders but no squad what ever in the world can cope with the amount of quality players missing, god we need some… Read more »
We have a saying in iceland: “Helvítis fokking fokk” roughly translated; hellbound fucking fuck
Figured out the last part …isclever
To be honest, it’s probably time to move some of the more injury prone players on if they are never able to play and yet take up a squad position.
Yeah totally agree and as rosicky will be out of contract at the end of the season and the same with arteta and flamini? You have two injury prone candidates leaving and two players from defensive midfield leaving – January has to see the MINIMUM of a defensive midfielder come in!!!
Anyone who puts any stock in all the media sniping at Arsenal and who consequently consider that the media know anything at all about football, or indeed anything at all, should consider this gem just posted on the BBC live feed from the Mickey Mouse Cup live text this evening: “So how’s Jurgen Klopp settling in at Liverpool? I’m not sure you will hear many complaints from Reds fans. Out of six matches in all competitions, they have won six, and lost just one.” That’s right. Played six, won six, and lost one. Played six, and got seven results out… Read more »
Terrible news about Santi if it’s true. Arsene needs to do something in January even if it’s just a stop gap of a player for half a season. The injuries are starring ti spiral out of control. That’s January. Can’t do shit until then. Need someone in the squad to seriously step up in the present period. Aaron Ramsey I’m looking directly at you! He should get his preferred place in the middle back and we need him to be as industrious as ever making the right decisions and chupping in with goals like he did a couple of seasons… Read more »
Jan is too little too late.
Every season this happens.
Why not just buy more cover?
Before you go screaming Wenger out and such just stop and think about this for a second.
What is happening with injuries right now is completely insane. It’s beyond any human fault. Blame the gods. A disturbance in the force. Some fucking butterfly in Argentina. The Crab Nebula.
Have a whiskey and behold the sheer randomness of the universe, in all its blind fury. This month it came and tickled your favorite club, Arsenal.
You’re being reasonable and I appreciate that. Still, too many players prone to injury on our team. Cazorla is not one of them, which makes it, I don’t know, sadder? Even the robust ones are falling down.
I count 6 or 7 injury prone players sadly mostly British – Jack, Gibbs, Walcott, Ramsey all injury prone. Add to that Arteta and Rosicky bc of wear and tear issues. I think the gaffer had been previously disposed toward taking a gamble on potential quality over injury prone when signing players because of our restrictions to budget. Over more recent last 2 seasons or so, he has been able to invest into a higher price range for quality and injury free players Ozil (at 42.3m compared to De Bruyne at 55m) and Alexis (at 32m compared to Martial at… Read more »
Says “Kafka.” Heh.