Various reports this evening say that Declan Rice’s absence from Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan was because he suffered a broken toe in the 1-0 loss at Newcastle on Saturday.
It leaves the midfielder a doubt for our trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, although some journalists are saying he is preparing to play through the pain for Arsenal – as well as England.
Rice has been named in Lee Carsley’s squad for upcoming Nations League ties with Greece and the Republic of Ireland, but Arsenal will undoubtedly be unhappy with his participation if he is carrying an injury and there’s a risk of exacerbating it.
It might give Mikel Arteta some thinking to do about Sunday. Rice is a hugely important player for the Gunners, but if he plays against Chelsea, England will feel he’ll be available for them.
Given the circumstances, and our need to get back to winning ways on Sunday, it’s certainly a complication the Arsenal manager could do without.
Meanwhile, Thomas Partey has not been included in Ghana’s squad for upcoming AFCON qualifiers.
Mikel must have walked under a ladder with a black cat and a broken mirror.
The silver lining maybe is that none of the injuries this season have been really bad ones. All minor short/ midterm injuries. So if we manage to keep the squad more or less fit for the second half of the season only very few players will have had an overload and that could help during the run in.
Odegaard’s injury is worse than ACL for two other players.
How so? ACL means 12 months out…
Play Merino. Fuck the interlull
We need Partey back in central midfield and maybe Jorginho. I’m not sure Merino was that well when he came off at half time vs Inter, let along the double-handed punch he took to the head.
What’s the downside to Rice just saying, or any player for that matter, saying ‘sorry, I can’t play for the national team, I have to save anything I have for the job that pays me millions of dollars a year?’
I think Rice left all his physical form in the Euro last summer.
He had a bad euros but yeah he has nothing in the tank because of it.
Declan will have to take a leaf out of Monty Python’s ‘ Black Knight’ sketch. It’s only a scratch, come back and fight you coward!! Said by the legless and armless knight. Seriously though, the physical demands of top prof players are overwhelming- and it’s not only Arsenal lads who have to try to get to grips with it. It’s becoming more like a Roman gladiator show than footie.. Get well soon Mr. Rice
Honestly, you couldn’t make it up, could you?
It’s like some kind of horror show!
Oh and Club before Country every time – unless said Country wants to pay the lost wages of any players injured in the course of National play.