Arsenal have confirmed that Sead Kolasinac has suffered a significant injury to his right shoulder during the game with Everton.
The left-back, restored to the starting lineup by Mikel Arteta, lasted just 18 minutes on Sunday before being replaced by Bukayo Saka. He looked in a lot of pain as he limped off and his shirt was used as a makeshift sling.
The club say he needs to see a specialist this week and they’ve not yet put a date on his return. He’s definitely out of tomorrow’s game with Olympiacos.
It’s terrible luck for a player who has suffered a series of problems this season including the off-field security incident and a recent ankle problem.
Saka will likely deputise tomorrow and for a couple more weeks with Kieran Tierney still working his way back to full fitness. The Scot has resumed group sessions but won’t undertake full sessions for another week.
Cedric Soares is sill doing gym work and is working to a similar return date as Tierney. Calum Chambers is continuing his rehab from ACL surgery and won’t be back in action until next season.
Fuck-a-doodle-do
Poor Saka already looked fuckadoodled by the end of Everton game. Who to take his place? AMN? A debut for the footed Mari? Mustafi? Luis? Who’s playing LB for the under 16s?!
I’d not want to be the manager right now!
The footed Mari sounds like a rare and exotic bird. Like Attenbrough should be saying it.
And here, at last, we find the lesser spotted left footed Mari. While most of his genus prefer not to stay far from the familiar surrounds of continental Europe the Mari is a far more adventurous species. Here we find him settling into his new home having completed his 3000 mile migratory journey from South America.
The Mari can be an agrssive character, and is known to enjoy the company of vultures. This strutting cockerel, however, should be wary as the Mari enjoys little more than using its powerful left foot to dismbowel any chickens that venture into his teritory.
Nice little touch with the vultures reference 🙂
Cedric will be available soon no?
Kolasinackered 🙁
For all those who claim why the hell are we loan signing Cedric Soares for?
Its for situation like these.
It would be nice if he were able to start on Monday, though it sounds like that might be too soon. Saka definitely needs a rest and that would be a good opportunity, maybe with Cedric or Maitland-Niles at LB. Can Mari play over there? Or maybe Sokratis at RB again and Maitland-Niles at LB? That would be a bit of a mess, but I like to think whatever team Arteta puts out there should be able to beat Portsmouth and give guys most in need of a rest a chance to recharge their batteries.
Indeed – pretty sure it was said that he can play left back as well as right back?
Errr, Soares is also injured. He’s supposedly on the mend but who knows when he’ll be ready to play. A very odd signing.
Not an odd signing for Arsenal though. We are improving, at least he doesn’t have a broken back.
True. I stand corrected.
He won’t be back until Tierney is available though and he is probably 4th in line for left back. I’d love to know what Maitland Niles has done to be totally out of match day squads.
The question is why are we signing an injured Cedric on loan for half of the season?
Bad news, don’t want Saka burning out, he is young and needs a rest. Fullback isn’t his best position either, though he has done brilliantly.
This club has ridiculous record for injuries. Real shame for Kolasinac, I really like him.
With the distinct lack of options at full back and the risk of major burnout for Saka, surely a back three with AMN and Bellerin as wing backs has to be the option?
Tierney’s back soon so LB is covered again. Soares can play either lb or rb. I think we’ll be fine honestly
Tierney isn’t back for at least a fortnight, maybe a month. Soares isn’t even training at the moment. So we’re not “fine” right now, and certainly not for the next couple of games, which is what I was referring to.
Gutted for Kola. Hopefully not his last game in a red shirt!
Horrible luck for Kola. Has he had a single season for us without at least one major injury? Seems to be very injury prone. Yet another left back might have to be on the transfer list in the summer.
His physical presence and all round “dont-f*ck-with-me-ness” would have been great for the game Thursday which will no doubt be somewhat intense. I love me some Saka, but as everyone says, he can’t play *every* game – and I really like our Tank. Get well soon Kola!
That’s just not good. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Sead.
Terrible luck. I wish him a speedy recovery. Our defence is basically picking itself these days.
Got to play AMN in the absence of Kola and to give Saka a break, second choice in the circumstances would be Xhaka at left back
Get well soon, Kola. What a shame. Hope Saka can be recovered enough for tomorrow, it might be a hard 90 minute fight and is an extremely important game.
For Pompey on Monday, I wouldn’t see it as a big problem to play someone completely out of position at left back.
But it certainly would be better, if Saka could be rested tomorow without hesitation. However, that would be very, very risky.