Arsenal’s worries over left-back have been eased with the news that both Sead Kolasinac and Bukayo Saka are fit and available for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle at the Emirates.
The Bosnia international has been sidelined since the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on January 11th, while Saka came off at half-time during our last game against Burnley, requiring Granit Xhaka to play as a full-back for the second half.
Mikel Arteta has also been boosted by the return to fitness of Reiss Nelson who has been absent with a hamstring strain.
New loan signing Pablo Mari is still working on his fitness, but could be available for Thursday’s trip to face Olympiacos in the Europa League, while Cedric Soares is recovering from a knee ligament injury.
Kieran Tierney is continuing his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, and is expected to be back in full training next month.
Leaving aside long-term absentee Calum Chambers, it means the Arsenal boss has a strong squad to choose from for the visit of the Magpies.
And we’d all know how evil Magpies are, so let’s hope we can take three points.
Goodo
Leno
Bellerin Mustafi Luiz Kola
Xhaka Torreira
Pepe/Nelson Ceballos Saka/Nelson
Auba
where is Marteneli then ?
Martinelli isn’t suited to the right side, and neither is Aubameyang. Lacazette should be starting home games as our No9, he’s a much better all round footballer than Aubameyang. Unless Saka starts at left back? That leaves Auba, Saka, Martinelli vying for a place on the left in home games. We need to start going for balance, rather than just trying to ram square pegs into round holes. There’s a good argument for Saka continuing at left back, he’s looked good, but there’s also a good argument that he’s our most rounded wide forward. None of our other options have… Read more »
Lacazette may be a better all round footballer than Aubameyang (although that’s arguable) but right now he looks out of shape and out of form and Aubameyang must play down the middle.
I’m no doctor but can some one explain the extent of Teirney’s injury. I didnt know a dislocated shoulder could side line some one so long. I am a big fan of MotoX and you see these guys pop shoulders all the time, put it back in and continue doing back flips on a 200lb motor bike.. did he damage something else at same time??
A ligament surrounding the shoulder joint might have torn during the dislocation. My guess
Without being an expert I know that shoulders are very complex. Lots of tendons in all directions connecting several bones which enables what is probably the most complex movement of any part of the body. A friend of mine who is an osteopath told me years ago that shoulders are the most complicated of the joints to fix once they start going wrong.
cheers guys, Yeah one thing I did notice is that guys who have popped a shoulder once, it then seems to happen a lot more regularly. So could be why he is rehabbing this long to make sure it not a reoccurring thing
I’ve been through this, including surgery. For a while it goes ok, you pop it back, it tightens up in a few days but never back to full, and it’s definitely easier the next times. After enough times in my case a groove was opened up in the rotator cuff that just made it too untrustworthy and I finally did it once to a point where it was a hospital trip to get it back in. Then it was surgery time a few weeks later. his could have been repetitive like this, or he just did it bad one of… Read more »
Most likely that he has torn a ligament as well as popping the shoulder.
Compare that to contesting headers and shoulder to shoulder challenges about 10 times over 90 mins against absolute giants in the PL! I think he has recovered fairly well from the injury, he is just conditioning his shoulder to get used to the rigors of the PL again
And don’t forget about throw-ins! I really only bring that up because I’m an American and it’s my only well-developed skill..
Also when you dislocate often it’s easier to relocate with minimum damage
I’m guessing that none of the responders are doctors either. And if any of them are, I’m pretty sure they haven’t examined Tierney, or seen his medical records. I mean, this almost a satire on what’s wrong with the internet.
I feel like this is a pretty massive game. A two week break, a clean bill of health and a chance for the players to take on board Arteta’s tactics against an average side at home. If we don’t at least look really up for it and really sharp, we’ve got a long remainder of the season ahead of us.
Saka deserves to go straight back in at left back. Kolasinac was in good form before his injury, but he’s been out for a while.
I hope Arteta has learnt from the last game and this time picks the right players to really have a go at getting those elusive 3pts.
Saka has been our most dangerous player recently, he deserves to start.
Will he interesting to see if Nelson gets the nod over Pepe? Martinelli or Aubameyang aren’t really suited to playing on the right.
Ozil has a decent scoring record against Newcastle, but I’d love to see Saka start at left back, and a front four of
Nelson Willock Auba
………Lacazette
Honestly, I think Lacazette needs dropping for the time being. I love the guy but he just hasn’t looked himself lately. Auba up top with Martinelli and Pepe on the flanks for me.
No Martinelli? He’s our most in-form player right now.
Is there any chance Storm Dennis will get the match postponed?
They’re predicting 51mph winds and heavy rain in North London at the time of kick off.
very strange to be so excited about going back to the emirates after winterlull but also simultaneously scared of cancellation / being impaled on a spiky hand rail by a fallen oak tree.
Did anybody else read “working in his fitness” in their Lizzo voice?
we just need to start winning!!!!
There are 4 major muscles to protect the shoulder joint- the SITS(from baseball where a pitcher has to sit with injury to the throwing arm)- supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.
There are other muscles in that vicinity like the teres major, etc
So a shoulder injury could be quite complicated. Without access to his scans,xrays, etc we cannot opine on the extent of Tierney’s injuries. But you can safely assume it was significant.
I hope this helps some.
Kolasinac has been a huge difference for us when available.
He gives so much more drive and impetus on the left flank for us.
Its a huge boost.