Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will have to wait until tomorrow to assess the severity of William Saliba’s hamstring issue after the French international picked up the injury in Wednesday’s win over Sp*rs.
The centre-back was excluded from today’s matchday squad and was sorely missed as the Gunners squandered a two-goal advantage to draw with Aston Villa.
When asked if there was an update on Saliba’s fitness in his post-game press conference, Arteta said: “No, not yet. I think tomorrow, we’ll have more information. Tomorrow he’ll have another test and we’ll be more clear about that.”
In the context of Arsenal’s other injuries – they are currently without Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Riccardo Calafiori and Ethan Nwaneri – it was unsurprising that the boss expressed concern at the prospect of losing another key star.
“Yeah, for sure [I’m worried], especially with the numbers we have in the squad and looking at our bench, very worried,” he said.
In Saliba’s absence, Arteta asked Jurrien Timber to play alongside Gabriel with Thomas Partey moving from midfield to right-back. Of the six games, the Ghana international has played there this season, the Gunners have only won one.
When the grim stat was put to him, Arteta was quick to dismiss it: “I cannot judge [results] just because one player plays in one position.”
The boss was also asked if Saliba’s presence might have prevented Villa’s two goals – both scored from crosses into the box – but he wasn’t so sure.
“No, I think the first one the centre back is dragged out to the wide area because their full back is releasing so it’s Mikel [Merino] that’s following [Youri] Tielemans in this case.
“And the second one is a set piece that the central defender can be in any other position and probably Willy wouldn’t be there in the second phase, so not too easy to point a finger.”
Arsenal now turn their attention to the Champions League with Dinamo Zagreb visiting the Emirates on Wednesday. They then head to Molineux to face Wolves – a first away game in six outings.
Maybe, just maybe Mr Arteta should have invested in a larger squad rather than beasting the same small pool of players every three days! Oh, and a striker would have been nice instead of hoarding left backs. Just saying.
I don’t even have the energy to formulate a response to this
TP is excellent as DM, but not good at RB, 1 win in 6. Why isn’t Arteta try something different? Keep Timber on the right put Kiwior at CB, or something else. TP as RB just never work
I find it just as baffling that you fail to understand the importance of squad depth – in fact, I find it more than baffling…
The job of signing players isn’t solely the manager’s remit- some of that is down to the sporting director, who was allowed to fuck off to a direct competitor with seemingly no repercussions mid-season. And the position hasn’t been filled. So it’s on the board and ownership- not just the manager.
Edu fkd off presumably because Mikel has complete control over who comes in and who goes. Also, this isn’t city. Kroenkes made it clear there had to be multiple sell offs this season before incomings were ok’d.
“presumably”. Last time I read, they offer 3x salary to Edu
That’s some presumption. And next time you’re at a board meeting will you tell the Kronkes we need a few players in forward positions. I’m sure a person with your inside knowledge would have a far greater impact on them than Arteta.
I thought it was widely reported Arteta had full control over signings when he was promoted to manager from coach. He had a couple of subtle digs at edu in press conferences, that Nuno was a Edu signing.
So you think edu told Arteta what he needed and who we were gonna bring in? lol…wise up mate. And yeah I’ll let Josh know we’re fkd with the frontline we have, no problem. Someone has to…
I am sure Arteta will be delighted to hear any suggestions you might have sir
Who would have thought Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Tomiyasu, Califouri, Saliba, White, and Ethan Nwaneri would be injured all at once?
there’s your big squad. 7 players, an entire bench.
This season feels irrevocably cursed. Probably the best we can hope for now is that the curse is lifted soon!
And placed in Liverpool perhaps?
Just can’t get a break. Really can’t afford to lose one of our star central defenders long term.
Rice should play at right back. Why has nobody suggested this?
Should just Kiwior started with Gabi and Partey could has been rested.
Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t really understand how we’ve used Kiwior. Bar one game vs Sane, I thought he was largely excellent at LB all of last season, and I thought the team looked worse with Tomiyasu at LB for the last few games (and Timber for the first games of this season). I don’t think he’s a player who deserves to be in the Lokonga / Nelson / Vieira shadow realm squad position.
I think Arteta wants to avoid having a left-footed CB on the right, just like he doesn’t want right-footed CB on the left.
He can play at CB…did so for WH now and again. Keep timber at RB.
With Partey at right back, that would be our 2 best midfielders in defence.
No, Partey in CM, Rice at CB or RB with Timber alongside.
We lose a player every week. I used to worry about the bench looking thin, but now it’s an achievement to put 11 first team players on the pitch.
There is never a break with the international calendar increasing each year. It’s almost better to give the player staggered holidays through the season. That way they would lose less time.
There’s no scope to rotate when you need 90+ points to even come close to a title. All you can do is play your best players and hope their hamstrings hold up. Liverpool’s haven’t the last two seasons but seem to have got lucky so far – we got relatively lucky last 2 years but we’re having the kind of season that Liverpool had periodically while trying to outsprint Lance Armstrong.
Yep. Players are over stretched but one can understand the manager’s hesitation to rotate massively or send players on holiday mid season… And would players even go. You’d have to order them, else they always want to play. I know Anchelotti was taking similarly though. Liverpool are having the luck this year. City have lost key players. Spuds have lost loads. Big respect to Bournemouth who smashed Newcastle yesterday despite being down to 12 regular first team players & a bench full of kids. I’m still holding a little hope that we might buy someone, and then we’ll start getting… Read more »
I think he should have started Kufor in the center and kept Timber at right back.
You are right. Look at the stats when Partey plays right back. We lose out in midfield and he is not great in defence positionally.
I think to be honest the best thing they can do is just carry on and do their best – the title realistically out of reach now.
My concern with him is injuries aside he cannot or will not address these glaring squad issues – aside from the first choice team there is little quality back up.
Go through the injury list. The squad isn’t nearly as thin as people are trying to make out. Those 7 players completely change the match day squad.
We had 3 senior defenders on the bench, and still we had Partey in the back 4. Regardless of his +/- qualities compared with those 3, we reduce the midfield rotation capacity this way, and label those 3 defenders as not trusted. If that’s the case, sell atleeast 2 of them , even if cheaply and get a least 1 on you consider playable. This in parallel with a number 9 must be priority in the January window.
Merino arrived injured.
Saliba injured.
Ben white injured.
That’s the entire right side of the defense.
Calafiori injured.
Odegaard missed tons of time.
Saka injured. Nwaneri his best backup is also injured. Gabriel Jesus who would be the third choice at this position is injured too.
At some point, what can you do ?
Put like that, we’ve not done too badly with the players available. Some years your luck is just out on all fronts.
The team is still strong and resolute. We all want all the wins. We’ve all be reprogrammed that fucking city can just win every game so why can’t you. But that was never reality, and frankly, hopefully, that reality is fading. Our reality is that we’ve lost 2 games all season even with LOADS of kicks in the balls from lady luck. I hate us letting go of a 2 goal lead – but I love this team and what they are capable of. It’s a joy to watch them fight and give a shit for the club right to… Read more »
You left off Tomiyasu. Lewis-Skelly was able to break through because at one point Calafiori, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, and Tierney were all injured. People complain a lot about lack of quality depth, and at some positions I can agree with the complaint, but you simply can’t (and shouldn’t) plan four your first FOUR options at a given position to be out at the same time. I like the approach of recruiting these versatile players, but the flip side is when you lose a Swiss army knife like Tomiyasu/White/Timber, you’re losing them at multiple positions too. And I guess when someone comes… Read more »
I think it’s time to accept that this season is over. Still enjoy the games where we can etc but in terms of winning anything. Hopefully we reinforce properly this summer.
I’m still a couple weeks away from conceding the league. We’re a Mo Salah hamstring injury away from that gap closing quickly, but time is running out to be sure. Champions League, however, I won’t give up on until we’re out of it. If we find form and fitness (however unlikely that feels at the moment) at the right time, we can compete with anyone over two legs.
Ironically, we don’t have a lot of players that can even function on 2 legs at the moment and therein lies the issue!
Last season we found form (very few issues with fitness) on our trip to Dubai. Currently we’re losing a vital player almost every game with no breaks in sight. Arteta is great but not a miracle worker. If Saliba is out for more than a few weeks and it doesn’t magically coincide with a Salah injury we’ll just drift further away. Hopefully we can hang on in CL long enough to get some players back.
There is a free weekend coming in Feb…