Thomas Partey is ‘progressing well’ in his recovery from a hamstring strain but he will not be available for Sunday’s clash with Manchester City.
The news, provided yesterday by the club’s medical team, doesn’t come as a huge surprise given he only picked up the issue a couple of weeks ago.
Dani Ceballos has provided cover in the last two games and is an option to start although Mikel Arteta may be tempted to rest the Spaniard with one eye on Thursday’s Europa League second-leg game with Benfica. Mohamed Elneny is another option to partner Granit Xhaka.
Outside of bumps, bruises and tired legs, Arsenal’s only other injury concern is a knee strain picked up by Alex Runarsson. It’s not clear how serious the problem is but the third choice keeper couldn’t be facing a short spell on the sidelines.
Noooooo 🙁
I know. But let’s wait until we get more information before we despair about the Runarsson injury.
ok, I chuckled out loud there.
😂🤣🤣😅
I would be tempted to rest Xhaka in this game instead of Ceballos. Granit looked quite tired in the last match towards the end and he has too played massive amount of minutes recently. That’s the team I would pick today: Leno-Tierney-Gabriel-Holding-Cedric-Elneny-Ceballos-Odegaard-Pepe-Martinelli-Lacazette (4-2-3-1) The biggest concern I have is our lack of adequate options for rotation in CM. And od course I would except from everyone from that team I picked to give maximum effort to keep up with city and you can make changes as the game goes on. You have to rest certain players that played a lot… Read more »
Definitely I thought to see out the Leeds game chambers in CDM was an option. Need to get mine into his legs and he can be an option for that role.
Elneny and dani could work well together but They certainly be busy enough against Silva Foden and Rodri.
Xhaka’s game is not exactly based on running, so it would have to be mental fatigue. Arteta will never drop him though and most of his recent performances have been good.
I would play Xhaka against City and rest him against Benfica. He isn’t well suited to the Benfica game, where they defend deep and press. Partey-Ceballos should be the midfield against Benfica Xhaka-Elneny against city (although they aren’t well suited, they can probably do a decent job sitting deep). ESR needs a rest too.
No chance Arteta rests that (5) many players. He’ll want to test more or less his best team against City.
I think it’ll be something closer to; Leno-Bellerin-Holding-Gabriel-Tierney-Xhaka-Elneny-Saka-Odegaard-SmithRowe-Aubameyang.
Personally I’d like to see against City:
Leno
Bellerin-Holding-Gabriel-Tierney
Elneny-Xhaka
Pepe-Odegaard-Martinelli
Laca
[sit deep and play on the break though Pepe/Martinelli/Odegaard/Laca.
Against Benfica:
Leno
Bellerin-Holding-Gabriel-Tierney
Partey-Ceballos
Saka-ESR-Auba
Laca
[Here were going to have to control possession and stop the Benfica press and counter attacks – Ceballos-Partey are better suited to that and breaking them down].
I’m still worried Arteta is going to keep picking Luiz and probably try and give Willian a start in there somewhere. Not pleasant thoughts.
I am certain that, barring some injury issue, Odegaard will play against Benfica. If Partey is available, then Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard, behind Saka, Aubameyang, and one other (Smith Rowe and Aubameyang in the middle, or Lacazette with Aubameyang on the left). Getting closer to the true 4-3-3 that is surely Arteta’s aim.
Wise decision to let him sit this one out. We need to be practical and know we are not in the same stratosphere as $hitty’s multi billion € team this season
The injury gods have been a bloody nuisance this season. Even more so than usual. I think the least they owe us is a line-up with Tierney, Partey, Saka, Odegaard and Auba next Thursday evening…
But as far as the mug-smashers go, do keep up the good work
Well, both Tierney and Partey – influential players (when fit) – have both spent more time in the treatment room than on the pitch. Unfortunately, it’s no real surprise with Tierney, who was injury-prone at Celtic. It was one reason why his departure – and he was injured when we bought him – wasn’t considered quite the total disaster at Celtic Park that it may have been. However, Partey’s continuing absences were unexpected and I hope he manages to recover soon as he is obviously a key player. That said, better safe than sorry so we’ll just have to made… Read more »
*make do.
… so Nelson is still classed as a missing person I guess?
Played for the u23s again.
Off fighting the French somewhere?
Please, no column jokes.
We don’t have any injuries in our attacking positions. You got 4 on the pitch (ESR, Ode, Saka, Auba) and then 4 on the bench (Pepe, Gab, Willian, Laca). If one of them gets injured, Nketiah is next in line to be ‘promoted’ to the bench. So it will take 2 injuries/suspensions for Nelson to get on the bench.
I wonder what the summer holds for Reiss. A lot will depend on if we’re in Europe next season.
I think Auba has to start to get proper minutes and match sharpness into him.
————Leno
Cedric-Holding-Gab-KT
————Dani—Xhaka
Pepe —-Odo—- gab
————-Auba
Will be happy to see Martinelli play today
Why? He’s had limited minutes and has been really hit and miss since returning from injury.
May the force be with us today. And God. And the Avengers. And The A team.
I think it will need all of those for us to get a result. That said, I hope that a draw wouldn’t be totally out of the question – although I admit it’s not likely. Anyway, we’ll see.
I don’t know where this confidence is coming from but I’m sure we are winning today’s match.
I’ve a sneaking feeling we may get a draw, but I ‘m not holding my breath for it.
Sitting in 10th place with 10 losses and 14 matches left to play, we should be destined for mid-table mediocrity, there should be nothing left to play for in the Premier League. But this is such a strange season, despite a very, very poor showing thus far we are still only 6 points off European places. (Top-six mediocrity is still very much alive!) Considering his spotless injury record in Spain, it’s clear Thomas’ body hasn’t yet adapted to the rigors of the Premier League. We don’t want these moderate muscle strains to progress to something more serious, but with Europe… Read more »
Man City have a Champions League away match on Wednesday, and practically have the Premier League won already, we may get lucky and Pep rests one or two. Or three or four…
Thomas just posted on insta, suggesting he’s in line to start.
Make too much out of him.
He’s a good player but he has misplaced passes too like Xhaka.
These of course tend to not be seen by many who prefer to imagine things.
Hopefully we get him back sooner than later but his inclusions did not necessarily translate to victories for us.
To me, in absence at moment, Ceballos is looking good along with ESR.
If we flank Xhaka at the base with these two players plus swap in Odegaard to rotate with the productive ESR (or Ceballos) for rotation,that’s a functional midfield.