Mikel Arteta says Takehiro Tomiyasu is fit and available for selection as Arsenal gear up for their final match of 2022 at Brighton and Hove Albion.
The manager also delivered a positive update on Emile Smith Rowe who is also close to a return having been sidelined since September following groing surgery.
Tomiyasu went to the World Cup nursing a muscular problem but managed to play 186 minutes as Japan went out at the last 16 stage on penalties to Croatia. He flew straight to Dubai afterwards to join up with the Gunners but has been eased back to action.
“He’s getting closer and closer [to full fitness]. He’s training with us, so he’s available,” said Arteta about the full-back.
Tomiyasu has played the majority of his football this season covering at left-back so it remains to be seen whether he gets the nod ahead of Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko at the Amex Stadium. We suspect he’ll be on the bench.
On Smith Rowe, Arteta added: “He has made some big steps in the last week or so, took part in a few training sessions lately and is looking good.”
As far as we’re aware there are no other injuries concerns aside from the long-term absence of Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson who is sidelined for a few weeks.
As the relentless schedule continues, and mounts up, Tomiyasu at right back means Ben White can rest and also that White can play in the centre to give Saliba some time off. Which is how a top team needs to be: little or no drop in quality while rotating.
Bang on the money. We need to change our mindset from the last 10 years of thinking all our best players must play or be sold. We should have 16-18 players who could all claim to be first choice competing.
And that’s the City model- quality footballers for every position.
Yeah. It’s easier for City to follow that model, as they can offer their more fringe players regular titles and higher wages than they’d get at other clubs
Has White not proven that he should always play on the right? I would consider Tomi deputizing in the middle. So make minimum changes to our well functioning team
We are “looking good,” yes.
A lot of persons talking about how this game will be tough challenge, but I think we might win comfortably. Like Brentford, Brighton come out to play at home. That should make an open game possible, and, in those circumstances, I see us winning comfortably.
I’m starting to get really worried about certain players.
Tomiyasu, ESR, Thomas Partey and Zinchenko all scare the shit out of me.
Plus we have Tierney who is very injury prone and we don’t know how quickly Jesus will recover.
It’s so sad to say it, but the only thing that can defeat us this season is the treatment room.
Tomiyasu and Zinchenko, yes. So glad we have capable cover for both players. I hope Partey has figured out a way to stay injury-free and I’d imagine ESR can finally be more available with his recent treatment.
I think we have had our own share of the injuries though not too hard on us apart from G. Jesus. The incoming of Zin and Saliba has eased the pressure on the defense. You won’t know what a week rest could do, or the damage of rushing a player that is not fully fit.
I agree we have had relatively good luck as regards injuries.
But it’s the players who are frequent fliers in the treatment room that worry me.
But it would appear no one else is concerned, so I’ll stop wasting my energy worrying.
They must all know something I don’t.
Mikel Arteta has been able to build a system which may not suffer too much in the absence of a player. That’s why we’ve maintained top performance with the likes of Xhaka, Zinchenko, ESR, and recently, GJ out of the team. I’d start to worry though if a couple of them get injured at the same time.
Mikel Arteta has been able to build a system which may not suffer too much in the absence of a player. That’s why we’ve maintained top performance with the likes of Xhaka, Zinchenko, ESR, and recently, GJ out of the team. I’d start to worry though if a couple of them get injured at the same time.
Mate, we only just missed out on top four because we had Tommi, KT and Partey both out for a long time and Laca sodding about up front. The likelihood of those three all being out for a long time again is a long shot, we are in a much stronger position to rotate and cope and our forward line (notwithstanding the injury to Jesus) is much improved. Injuries are always a concern, but I’m more w we worried about VAR and the idiots in black ruining the title procession. We’ll see, but for the time being, stay strong and… Read more »