Arsenal have confirmed that Sokratis will be sidelined for a month as a result of the ankle injury sustained during the defeat to Manchester United.
The Greek jarred his left ankle as he contested a header in the early stages and was replaced by Mustafi. Unai Emery didn’t think the problem was too serious, something backed up by the BBC’s David Ornstein, but we’ll still have to survive a month without him.
In better news, Laurent Koscielny, who was also forced off on Friday, hasn’t broken his jaw.
The Frenchman required ten minutes of treatment after Lukaku’s boot caught his face in an innocuous coming together. He was taken to hospital for a scan but thankfully has ‘only’ suffered soft tissue swelling.
It’s hard to tell how long he’ll be out but hopefully the swelling will go down in time for him to play some part in this week’s two matches.
The big question as we enter the final few days of the transfer window is whether this influences our business.
Well, we’re such a massive club I’d imagine we’ll just go out and buy a defender. This exact situation is why we left Highbury in the first place.
Pheeew! Much better than out for the rest of the season.
Let’s sign another winger!
Mustafi and Xhaka at CB. The two most calamitous players in the prem. Cue Benny Hill music…
Xhaka is the deep lying midfielder in the Premier League and in that position to call him calamitous is a joke.
The best I mean
Xhaka is not terrible, but he is far from good. I struggle to find one thing he does well regularly.
pick up cards
Has always been one of the top creative passers in the country. Official statistics have shown this and he’s no 4 this season
A LEFT winger. Corner the market on left side players!
By this time next season I want to see Hector and Hector alone east of the circle for the entire length of the pitch and the full 90. His own personal runway.
Hopefully Kosc (if he’s able to play) and Mustafi can step up, because I don’t think we’re going to reinforce the defense this transfer window.
Its the panic loan era. I doubt they will add a defender too. Lichsteiner we loaded on for 90K a week when we could have kept Chambers and AMN in any case is decent enough covering Bellerin. I should think if Koscielny is not 100%, we are going to risk it with Mustafi, Lichsteiner and Monreal likely in a back 3. I do not fancy Granit back there. He hasn’t been particularly bad but I prefer some semblance of continuity in midfield just ahead of the backline. Torreira has not been great recently and may benefit from a regular system/familiarity… Read more »
There’s also Mavropanos I suppose.
Hope to god Koscielny is available.
I think we will but winger is the priority. Emery needs more potent attacking options on the bench to work his magic.
We still have Kos, Mustafi, Mavropanos , Monreal and Stephan. Xhaka and El Neny are capable aswell. Worst case we’ll play 3 at the back and go full attack mode.
“Full attack mode” playing an extra substandard defender- I see your lodgic
I would use anyone but Mustafi. I’d prefer Monreal, Mavropanos, Bould, carbon rod before Mustafi.
If Kos has a broken jaw (as suspected), he’s likely out for three weeks plus.
Did you read the article before this comment?
It’ hasn’t been broken
Read the article!
We need to sign a new owner
How about we loan one.
I’d prefer Mavrapanos at centre back and see if Mustafi can do a job at right back.
It is unfair to ask Maitland Niles to continue as a defender because he doesn’t have the awareness of danger. Every time you look at a goal conceded, Maitland Niles is jogging back or playing someone onside.
Also agree that RB is utterly wrong position for AMN.
Chambers…..?
There is no recall option.
Unfortunately I can’t see Fulham to be kind enough to allow one of their most in-form players to leave.
Is at Fulham……
Playing primarily DM if I’m not mistaken.
Then again, that pretty much is the equivalent of CB for the Arsenal.
we should call Bielk back. I am actually against recalling players from their loans as one full season will help players develop themselves a lot. But the point of loaning is to give players first team minutes if they cannot guarantee that with the first team. But arsenal is in a position such that they desperately need a centre back. And Bielk is having good time with charlton albeit in different position that recalling will immediately help arsenal and Bielk as well. That and he is a beast of a defender. I’d really love if he’d make it at arsenal
Bielik might be out a little while with a “groin injury.” ?
I’m guessing those voting you down aren’t aware of the incident.
Jenkinson?
£231,000,000 in the bank in May, but no money to spend in January…. I just can’t see how injuries can really alter our plans that much? when your transfer budget is £0….. your options are surely extremely limited? Emery’s back is right up against the wall, United had Martial+Rashford on the bench, the only attacking player we had was Ozil, then we had Lichtsteiner, Monreal, Mustafi, Leno, Elneny, Guendouzi. Our two best attacking talents are No9s, so it unbalances us showhorning Aubameyang out wide, Emery quite rightly has had enough of Ozil. We need a minimum of 1 top class… Read more »
I mean for fuck’s sake, do we have to lose every defender we have to convince someone in management that we need to buy or loan defensive personnel immediately? I know I’m having a fit of pique. And that we may be lining up someone for the summer. But how are we going to make top 4 with Sokratis out for Man City and possibly Sputz, not to mention 4 other PL matches? Kos, Mustafi, Kola and AMN at the back. Holy laughing shit. If we didn’t have a need before this injury, now it’s a stop the bleeding scenario.… Read more »
I think we’re already at the resuscitation stage
Well we’ve been linked with D Suarez, J Rodriguez & now I Perisic. That’s like respraying your car a shiny new colour when it’s got a petrol leak! We clearly need another defender with the injuries on top of the frailties exposed earlier this season. How many of our defenders would get in the starting line-up of the rest of the top 6?! Our front 2 are as exciting as anyone’s, and Torreira and Guendouzi were both great business, but it’s clear where our transfer/loan priorities should be this coming week!!
Oh FFS..The rest of this season should be fun. Starting with City away next week
Bringing in a defender to get used to our defensive system (which changes all the time because of injuries) won’t help. As Unai said when he first arrived he’d rather win 4 -3. All out attack for me, fuck it…:-) COYG!
There may be 7 goals against City but it seems unlikely that we will be scoring 4 of them
Just wait until we get a winger! 🙂
Cant see a defender joining. Though I’d rather play Monreal ahead of Leitchsteiner or Mavraponos. I would even give Monreal a go at right back against Man City for that matter, I would be really worried about Maitland Niles or Leitchsteiner at right back against City. In other news Perisic not in the Inter team today (but is on the bench).
There is further development on Perisic news https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11860/11619697/ivan-perisic-asks-to-leave-inter-milan-after-arsenal-offer
I wouldn’t call that innocuous (which means not harmful or offensive, and derives from the Latin word for injury) — it hurt, and he was injured. Also, how can we know how aware Lukaku was of where Koz’s head was, and where Lukaku’s foot was? We have no way of knowing for sure what was in Lukaku’s mind. We do know he’s an exceptionally athletic person with incredible body awareness who was played thousands of games of football and tens of thousands of hours of practice. Could he know what he was doing? Did he? Maybe. Was he trying to… Read more »
I’m guessing you think he meant it? 🙂
Of course we can’t know for sure–but we can make a reasonable judgment. First, it didn’t look like an intentional stomp, it looked like Lukaku was off-balance and it happened right at the end of the sequence; so it was either unintentional or exceptionally well-disguised. Second, there was, as far as I know, no prior incidents between Lukaku and Koscielny in the match, so no motive. Third, Lukaku doesn’t have a reputation for general dirty play (which would substitute for a motive). Finally, none of the players (who both through experience and proximity are often in the best position to… Read more »
Are you two barristers?? 🙂
The ambulance chasing type?
??♂️
Drinking tonight Jahan?
Jahan’s first point is kind of valid, i.e. “innocuous” might not be the best choice there – “accidental” is probably more like it.
Splitting hairs, I know, but I think he’s right.
City will fry us. Deep Fried chicken which makes it yummy for the citizens.
What business?
Ideal situation: Oil money from guys playing FIFA/CM without the playstation. 22 players, 2 players for each position fighting for a starting position. Throw in promising youngsters and old mentoring dogs and you have a full strenght squad. Severe injury problems = splash out 90 something mills for Stones and Kyle Walker. We are far from this situation and a bit of perspective during the transfer fakenews industry is always helpful with dashes of yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Yet I´m frustrated and not excited for two seasons now, watching my favourite team play. But I´m giving Emery the summer transfer… Read more »
This is getting ridiculous now. That’s now our 3 best defenders out.
On the plus side they may not be our 3 best defenders because we haven’t had any 3 playing for any length of time before getting injured to decide who our best 3 are! 🙂
And all caused by games against Manure!!!
This is why I don’t believe in God
At this rate we will be asking some of the ladies to help out. They would probably do a much better fucking job of it as well !
Most of the ladies are injured too! We lost another 2 during the international break! They are better at defending though another clean sheet today.
If the club don’t go out and sign a defender before this transfer window closes then they are utterly pointless. Defensively, we have an injury crisis and yet all we’re hearing are stories about the club interested in attacking midfielders! Hello?! This situation sums up everything that’s wrong with Arsenal Football Club right now: a complete lack of leadership. We have an owner who’s clearly more interested in his American football franchise then attacking the long-term problems that have been festering within this club. This is madness. I’d like to throw out a question to you: do you think that… Read more »
Big Sam’s available, haha.
I think we lack the players to have good defence. If different managers can’t make Mustafi and Kola defend properly then we must change the players. Hopefully Monreal is back soon, but we are really missing Holding. Holding and Sokratis was looking like a good partnership.
I think winning the Europa is our only real chance at CL next year, but I don’t even think we have the squad to handle the competition and the league…
Also, anyone notice a certain other team in North London Spurs-ing it up all week?
I think we lack the coaches not the Players. Surely we’re not saying our defenders are worse than those at Palace, Southampton, Wolves et al?
Nice to see Palace stuff Spudz though – we can at least go for St Totteringham’s Day but neither team will have a trophy.
I think it’s 100 percent the players. Unless you park the bus with 11 behind the ball and then you offer nothing in attack. Being a good team is about balance and a number of the current crop of players are failing under 2 different managers. Ask yourself this, would Mustafi, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Kolasinac or even Ozil make the bench at teams above us on current form? I would say not.
I think it is a mixture of both. Even experienced players can make the occasional mistake but ultimately it is the likes of Emery and Bould who are responsible for coaching the players.
As far as your last question is concerned, I believe that George Graham would have educated the players and sorted out our defence without much difficulty.
I believe this is correct. Sure players can make mistakes and the closer you are to your own goal the more disasterous it usually is. But review the goals that we have been giving away. Not too many are missed tackles or the players not being fit enough there just appears to be a complete absence of being aware of danger or all being drawn towards the ball leaving two opponents alone in the box with just the goalie to beat. That is a trait of poor coaching. Watching the ladies play today you could see they were simply more… Read more »
“I’d like to throw out a question to you: do you think that the horrendous defensive problems that we’ve been having – typified by that nightmare performance against United – are the fault of the manager or the players?”
I think the “nightmare performance” as you call it was caused by injuries upon injuries Fats. Calm down fella. x
So Arsenal conceding more Premier League goals than Wolves, Leicester and Newcastle so for this season is purely down to injuries?
Interesting.
Nobody is saying that but don’t you admit it’s a contributory factor?
Man, those didn’t shake out the way you would guess from watching. Shit luck with Papa, that’s a big miss. But we’ve seen worse from seemingly innocuous landings. But a Big upside is that Kos doesn’t have a busted jaw! Hopefully that means he’s back on the week end or not long after and Sokratis back in a month, as opposed to minimum two weeks without Sokratis and 2 months minimum without Kos. I don’t even know how long a broken jaw takes to get back from, but it affects nutrition, confidence, everything. Not to mention he just got back… Read more »
Post Chelsea I thought we were ok except for hectors injury…… now look.
Can’t understand why we couldn’t have brought in Mavropanos for the cup match , but no……. it’s like Wenger stuff… just not prepared to take a chance ( and don’t get me wrong , I like both managers) but surely it was time to put him in and rest one or other of sok/kos.
Why not try Willock some shaggin century while we’re on about it…. or Saka or even Eddie…… no , just plough on and accept the injuries.
Were bollixed for this year
I bet your FPL team is shit??
“Be kind, for everyone you meet ( at Arsenal ) is fighting a hard battle.” … Socrates
Fuck.
Everybody thought the obsession with signing attacking midfielders when the squad is desperately short on defensive quality was an Arsene thing…but maybe it’s just an Arsenal thing.
Football is a team game. To depend on 1/2/3 big names is not the hall mark of a good manager. Of course these star names help.
Greece won Euro Nations cup 2004 with team work. They did it stifling the flair of Portugal.It s better to win aesthetically
but winning is more important than playing good attacking football only to lose.
With our centrehalf missing. Emery has to tthink og plan b and even plan c.