Gabriel Jesus is in the middle of club versus country tug-of-war ahead of the international break.
The striker limped off during the Gunners 2-1 win over Sevilla on October 24th, and hasn’t played since. However, Brazil have important World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina during the break, and are reportedly insisting that Jesus travels to Brazil to be assessed by their own medical staff.
It suggests distrust of the information they are receiving from Arsenal, and speaking to ESPN Brasil’s Joao Castelo-Branco after the 3-1 defeat of Burnley on Saturday, a ‘visibly uncomfortable’ Mikel Arteta said of the situation, “I don’t know. I’m going to talk to the doctors and him [Jesus], because he didn’t do any training with us.
“He’s far from working with the team, but it’s an internal communication between the club and the national team. The first intention is always to seek the best for the player.”
Meanwhile, Brazil’s coach Fernando Diniz said, “We’re going to bring Gabriel in to find out the real conditions, because we believe he can be fit enough to play.
“We have 24 players on the list, and if something happens to him we won’t need to change the squad.”
It seems an unnecessary complication for a player who has struggled with a couple of niggling injuries since his return from knee surgery last season. Brazil’s need for his quality is understandable, as they currently sit third in their qualifying group, but putting a player’s fitness at risk is something that will undoubtedly frustrate Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.
Let’s see how it plays out.
With the players they have, insisting on Jesus playing is just bonkers, club should protest but then fifa is hopeless anyway
They are so desperate, forcing an injured player to join the camp. Not a good idea at all
All due respect but they don’t have that quality in the central striking position. Richarlison, Tottenham’s lethal number 9 is their first choice for good measure
Doesn’t richarlison also need surgery
Yes. The bolt through his neck has gone rusty and needs replacing.
Richarlison, not so much lethal as toxic.
I think we have to conclude, assuming that the reports are accurate, that jesus had communicated to Brazil that he can play. Regardless of their other options I highly doubt they want to use a squad spot on a player that is unanimously considered injured….
What a state Brazil is in now.
They dun have any better struker alternatives now, do they?
Well the alternative is Richarlison.
Who’s injured as well I think
Couldn’t a doctor both sides trust have a look at him in this country?
Is Jesus flying half way way round the world and back again for a medical really the best solution?
I think they are just pissed at the last time so they are trying to get one back. Quite ridiculous that they can have their coach travel all over Europe to watch games but can’t send a doctor or two for the sake of the player
It’s a bit crazy that we even have to consider a doctor that ‘both sides can trust’ as being an issue. If the Arsenal doctors say he’s injured and shouldn’t play then that really should be enough for anyone.
“We believe he can be fit enough to play” Where did they get this information 🤔
We know where they found it, the relevant question is; Whose arse did they pull it out of?
Unfortunately they feel that they were lied to regarding Gabi Martinelli, who didn’t get called up because he hadn’t trained but then played. Gabi Jesus always wants to play for Brazil so will probably say he can, even if it aggravates his injury. A total fuck up.
Agree. It is totally absurd. But nothing to do with football administration surprises me any more.
Particularly when arsenal are involved…
Not really good enough by Brazil. He isn’t fit enough to play for Arsenal, as evidenced by the fact that he, well, isn’t playing. And Brazil are basically saying they think he is. It’s a pretty cavalier attitude to take with a player’s fitness.
Totally agree. Does make you wonder if the club have told Jesus to cool his jets and recuperate and he’s trying to tell everyone he’s fit. If so, he needs to be more responsible. I get that he’s an irrepressible force, but he’s been so unreliable he needs to just get his body right.
Sounds like the player is up for a nice little trip to Brazil to see the fam
Or just really wants to play for his country?
Probably because Neymar and Richarlison are also injured, they were really counting on the experience of Jesus to lead the line.
There’s 10 countries in the CONMEBOL group – the top six automatically qualify this time, and the seventh advance to a play-off, so a few points dropped here and there won’t hurt them.
Any 3 from Martinelli, Vinicius, Rodrigo, Raphinha still looks pretty lethal.
Really strange, especially when we have Edu. I mean the guy who worked for the Brazilian team and now he’s at arsenal. I can’t believe that he couldn’t tell them: “que diabos, pessoal! você realmente quer foder com a gente? bem, adivinhe, vou cancelar o Natal na bunda da sua mãe!”
Had to use the google translate on this one – came out quite dirty – and funny
Same! Sheesh. Stonks you naughty human!
What the hell, guys! Do you really want to fuck with us? Well guess what, I’m going to cancel Christmas on your mother’s ass!
Let him play for Brazil if he wants to.
If he gets injured, then don’t pay him or better still charge the Brazilian FA for costs.
I don’t rate him much anyway – lots of fancy tricks but no real end product – or an end product that is delivered very inconsistently.
Arsenal seems to do very well without him.
Eh….
Lol you can’t stop paying someone who is under contract
Yeah, no mate.
Please get back under your bridge.
lol, you said that with the confidence of a man that actually knows a bit about contracts, the Brazilian FA, Arsenal, injuries or football in general. You have to admire that I guess.
There’s a Sp*rs forum called “Cartilage-Free Captain. I think you got the wrong address.
Is this shit actually for real?
Why bother . Players cliche in Brazil team means only Real Madrid and Spain based players will be selected by their future boss Ancelotti. Remember Martinelli played in one international games on the left wing and he was totally left out of play by Neymar and gang.
I feel like Jesus needs to stand up and be honest. Is he injured or not? If he is injured or recovering then he shouldn’t go on inter national duty. If he is fit enough to play, he should have atleast been on the bench against Burnley. Jesus needs to speak out and fix this issue. Are u injured or not? Same deal with Odegard. I will be so fking p!$$ed if he plays both games for Norway.
So he’s missed our last 5 games hasn’t and hasn’t even trained, yet he thinks he can play two internationals?
Brazil boss sound like a complete w*nker if I’m being honest.
Just say no, he isnt going. We pay his wages and he clearly isnt fit or he’d be playing. Brazil can either believe us, or fuck off and sue us.
Im sure we can also send them a folder of doctors notes with a giant cock carved on to the front.
Seriously… This is Brazil. I’m certain they have plentiful of players to fill in.
Off the top of my head – vincius, Raphinha and Martinelli. It’s still a pretty potent front 3. Not sure how they’d all line up in the same team but it’s hardly threadbare.
Clubs should have to power to tell national FAs that their players are not available if they are injured without any quibbling.
England started this rubbish trend with Saka.