Arsenal have confirmed that Kai Havertz will miss the rest of the season as a result of the hamstring tear he sustained in Dubai earlier in the week.
The Germany international is set to undergo surgery in the coming days and will be sidelined until pre-season preparations get underway again in the summer.
Havertz is the second of Arsenal’s two central strikers to be ruled out for the remainder of the campaign – hardly ideal when the club turned down the opportunity to strengthen in attack while the transfer window was open last month.
As things stand with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka also sidelined by hamstring injuries – the pair could return in a month – Mikel Arteta has only three fit forwards – Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri – to choose from.
The Gunners have four Premier League matches and a Champions League double-header up to the middle of March.
As things stand, there are no suggestions that Arsenal will turn to out-of-contract players to add a layer of depth. It means the bench is likely to be made up of academy prospects and Win the dog.
We wish Kai all the best with his recovery.
Kai-bosh
🥰
Foggin hell
Hav-hurts
Given the effort he has put in this season why wasn’t he spending his time relaxing and getting his energy back and his body recovered? Why was he doing anything that would give him an injury?
Well, yes. When the pics and videos showed everyone but Kai training in Dubai I assumed he was being given a rest…..that would have made sense.
Trossard as a winger, Ode as a CF for me. Rice will replace Ode and Merino and Partey behind.
Carlos Vela? Lucas Perez? Both free agents ..
Carlos Vela is 35 but what goalscoring track record has he got to justify bringing him AFC even on a free? If age makes no difference I would rather drag Henry back.
Not really much more to be said is there? Lets see how long the rest of the depleted overused squad last…
KT to be our hero at left wing, swinging in crosses for…
I don’t fucking know.
Merino at CF?
It’s very hard not to think we’re royally fucked
I’d have him on corners too; our delivery has suffered recently and goals are fewer than before.
Our system requires a lot more running for our front three than some other teams. You’ll not see Salah or Haaland getting involved that far back on the pitch, apart from corners.
Please no more injuries up front. Hoping Saka and Martinelli come back on time and strong.
no way i’d risk bringing saka back. england would flog him all summer. let him recover fully for pre-season.
Don’t worry, there’s nobody left up front to get injured. Genius plan. Can’t have injuries if you don’t have players.
The new system of no nine is going to take the league by storms
Martinelli has a good chance, but Saka was a lot worse affected and might take time.
Such a shame for our season to be derailed like this. Have to believe there’s solutions that Super Mik can muster.
In the meantime, big love Kai, gutted your done for the season.
We’re not finished yet, but it is truly unbelievable the damage we’ve incurred from the officials and injuries — and our own inability to predict the unpredictable. But we’ve got a great defence and midfield, and we are good at controlling games — we just need to find the goals somewhere and keep the focus on the next match. We are monsters at set pieces and have to make them count. Sterling may well shine just yet!
Remember there there is the mitigation that we only have 10 players in a decent percentage of our games 🟥.
So one less warm body to worry about 👍
4-4-2 diamond with Merino at the tip and Trossard and Nwaneri as inside forwards? Forego dominating possession, play with a lower line and get it forward quickly. Our usual type of wing play and possession is unlikely to be productive and probably result in more counters against.
This was the reason why Kos was upset. Taking pain killing injections for his Achilles and the club wouldn’t give Wenger 11m to buy Jonny Evans
He did buy Kallstrom and Chu Young at 11th hour
I dunno how much Kos was pissed, but that pissed me off at the time. It still does, seeing how solid a performer he has been. I like to laugh at Man U, and the fact that he is back there now playing does say a fair bit about them, but it also speaks to the professionalism and consistency of Evans.
I dare say he’d’ve been more useful than Mustafi or Luis
he missed the chance to win a world cup too.
I think my Goodly Morning mug may be cursed. I had it delivered in December, used it then bam, Saka is injured. Then it’s down hill when I’ve used it ever since.
Please break it and buy another. Repeat if necessary …
Better, give it as a present to…
You are asking him to become a mug smasher, that’s so rude!
Top four now maybe?
There is no positive spin available here. Charles Watts looked like he’d been up all night crying in his daily news. Let’s give Ethan Nwaneri the 10 shirt and go for it! : P
As super as he is, Mikel has a big hand in this, overplaying certain players, not trusting others enough. Then there’s this pointless camp they’re doing now, sure it’s good for morale, but wouldn’t those boys rather spend a week with their families unwinding? He’s overdoing it and the hamstrings are feeling it…
Shouldn’t we stop wanting Arteta to win every single game and the league as a consequence?
The same pointless camp that was followed by winning 12 of the 14 final games last season?
Well done.
What irritates me about this whole thing is that it will be put down to simple “bad luck” but in truth it is down to poor recruitment and management. This whole disaster could have been mitigated to a degree with a little foresight and clever recruitment..
16 of 18
Which is very nice indeed but we didn’t actually win anything.
Yeah but you don’t win anyway without first trying
Non-sequitur par excellence!
This is what happens when you use the only 2 loan spaces you have got to replace players you have sold.
Just bad planning.
It doesn’t make sense when you have the manager looking at the finest of details, every marginal gain and then the contacts guys (or owners afaik and ultimately they are responsible) are making basic errors.
I don’t know what is more staggering. The fact that this disaster was allowed to unfold as it has or the fact that thus far no one on here has mentioned this – surely managerial incompetence is the root cause of not the injuries themselves but the fact that we are in no place to deal with them…
That Win has seemingly jumped Gunnersaurus as an option in the manager’s mind speaks volumes about the latter’s future with the club. He had been given all the support and opportunity but failed to seize the moment. Unfortunately, the writing is on the wall.
MLS/Califiore — Trossard — Ethan.
Innit? With Rice or Merino playing as an 8.5 to offer outlet and aerial threat. A fullback reinforcing Partey. Raheem on the bench.
Can Win lead the high press?
Unfortunately win would only be eligible for the women’s side.
Gutted for Kai, he’s one of my favourite players and this is a cruel end to his season. The club needs to learn from this situation, our team is running on empty already. This team are fighters and will give their all, but because they’re willing to run through a brick wall for Arsenal that doesn’t mean they should be made to do so. There’s a history of this at this club, Kos, Bellerin, Sagna, just off the top of my head. I sincerely hope they’re not going to rush Martinelli and Bukayo back or overplay Nwaneri and MLS. For… Read more »
I will watch our games without any expectations and hence totally stress free and enjoy to the fullest.
The number of times I’ve said that only to be a nervous wreck 5 mins into a game, can only be matched by the times i’ve sworn I’m never drinking again after a particularly bad hangover!
Are there any genuine out-of-contract options out there? Someone who could put in a shift for 20 games?
No, not really
This season might already be cooked. The bigger worry is the message this mess sends to some of the star players. Someone like Saliba might question if Arsenal are serious about winning trophies, and may now feel he is better off at a more ambitious club.
That’s for the next transfer window. When I think some ambitious business is planned.
If we don’t see some serious additions there will be some very vocal fan protests- how those manifest remains to be seen, but I’m getting grouchy already and it’s been simmering for a few transfer windows now.
I would hope and think the players understand and can see for themselves that any lack of silverware this season won’t be down to a lack ambition but instead a squad devastated by injury to several key players and some of the most farcical refereeing decisions you’ll ever have the misfortune to see. This club is heading in the right direction. I believe we’ll see the fruits of our strategic planning in the summer and will be much stronger again next season for a proper title challenge. I just hope with everything that’s gone wrong so far and how depleted… Read more »
Jason Ayto. The gift that keeps on giving.
Sorry to see Kai succumb to a very Arsenal injury. It’s no surprise with his phenomenal workmate and we need to manage next season more carefully. Get well soon.
infuriating. I blame the manager.
Its nt funny anymore we need to get bodies in, a free transfer will do cox our squad is so so thin any injury we will be playing with more defenders on the Field
Why not sign up an out of contract player? Surely there is someone who can do some sort of a job
Just a thought but we have a strong defence so why not sit back and break teams on the counter attack? Need to grind out 1-0 wins for the next 14 games 😉 give GG a call for some advice arteta
Butler-Oyedeji and Sagoe Jr. Get ’em fired up.
Top 4 in the balance because we were afraid to spend a little money in january, and it may cost more in the long term. Brilliant business.
It all rather depends whether the vocal minority wanted a striker, any striker in January, and from what I read he only neeeded two legs and boots as some of the candidates would only have lasted as long as it took to get a real striker. I have no doubt the club has a bit of trouble now but maybe the kind of striker they wanted was not available in a January window. Still, at least those who take pleasure in knocking Havertz at every turn will have to concede that the team will miss him. Get fit again soon… Read more »
Soon will play a false eleven