Mohamed Elneny will miss Egypt’s African Cup of Nations semi-final with what coach Hector Cuper described as a ‘bad calf strain’.
With the semi and final just four days apart, it would be something of a miracle if he were to overcome the issue, but the Argentine who has managed the likes of Inter Milan, Mallorca, Valencia and Parma, is hopeful.
Speaking after the 1-0 win over Morocco in the quarter-final, he said, “Elneny has a bad calf strain. We will send a medical report to his club.”
“He will have tests and we hope that if we manage to reach the final he will be able to return.”
Arsene Wenger will be hoping that the 24 year old isn’t too badly injured. With Santi Cazorla injured, Granit Xhaka suspended for three more games, and just Francis Coquelin and Aaron Ramsey as established central midfielders, he would prefer to have as many options as possible.
However, the performance of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain against Southampton suggested he might well be in consideration, especially after Wenger’s comments about his future earlier today.
B*llocks, the only are that we don’t have decent depth in the squad. Here’s hoping he recovers quickly.
Oh FFS!
????
Some thing needs to be done about how reckless national teams can be when it comes to managing players.
I doubt they’ve been reckless and injuries can and will happen no matter what you do.
The problem I have, however, is that the African tournaments (if they continue to insist on dragging away players during domestic seasons, in fact even if they don’t) need to be every four years. Quite honestly it would make for a better and more anticipated product too.
Anyway, these two points aren’t strictly related and hopefully Elneny will be OK and can play in the final should Egypt make it.
If you think about it, at least there is no player hangover and over-fatiguing…
E.g. Sanchez, Giroud,Mertesacker 2014 etc.
Although every 4 years would be better from an Arsenal perspective.
But as an Egyptian fan, I like the extra opportunities to win trophy after trophy :p
Egypt has done nothing wrong…
A calf strain is a common injury.
I would say Arsenal’s poor injury managment has ruined more players for their national teams as opposed to the other way around…
Big call, but thinking of Diaby, Ramsey, Wilshere etc. and I am confident that I am right.
Calf strain? Knowing us it’s anywhere between ‘running it off’s and ten years of rehabilitation!
Hahaha, just our luck isn’t it. We lose a great player when we really need him!
Let’s hope he has a speedy recovery.
Agreed!
I’d include The Jeff and Ox in our options now, considering how well they played Saturday it would be hugely unfair not to. The Ox-Coq has a good ring to it
Step up, Messrs. Reine-Adelaide and Maitland-Niles. The Premiership beckons.
If it’s a “bad” calf strain, they are they even thinking about playing him in a potential final so soon after the injury? Seems reckless.
I thought Maitland Niles played exceptionally well on Saturday. We have plenty of options. Coq, Ramsey, Ox, MN.
Not the best scenario but we are deeper than we have been in the past. Hope Elneny recovers quickly as I really rate him with us. “Bad” is a relative term so who knows how bad it is. I’m sure he’s gutted besides possibly missing time with us but missing such a huge game for his country.
Hopefully it’s not too serious, he is a solid player and whilst the Ox acquited himself well in the middle he was performing a different role in a midfield three structured differently without Ozil.
Fingers crossed he can come back fit for the second half the season.
recall Jack from loan!
unfortunately Wenger was unaware that we could insert such a clause into a loan deal…
I think he was asked after Ake was recalled by Chelsea.
Given the kms that elneny gets through every match I’d say a strain was probably inevitable at some point. Throw in that he wasn’t playing week in week out for us and his body might’ve just not handled it, despite his godlike levels of fitness
All the best with the recovery Moh
You better go on and win this fucking thing now Egypt.