Bukayo Saka, Ben White and Max Dowman are all part of the squad that has travelled to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp for the next week or so.
Arsenal made the decision to travel to warmer climes after a gap in the calendar opened up as a result of the club’s FA Cup exit and after they avoided a Champions League knockout round play-off double-header.
Following last night’s disappointing Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle, the trip offers players and staff the chance to rest tired minds and legs and work on tactical plans for the remaining 14 games of the Premier League campaign and whatever Europe throws at them.
White, who is recovering from knee surgery, is thought to be closing in on a welcome return to action after being sidelined since November while Saka, who damaged his hamstring in late December, isn’t likely to be available until March at the earliest. Gabriel Martinelli, who limped off during the first half at St James’ Park, also made the trip. He was due to undergo a scan on his hamstring today.
The status of the Gunners’ other long-term absentees, Gabriel Jesus (ACL) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), is unclear. We suspect the latter has travelled to Dubai, but there’s no picture evidence just yet.
The inclusion of 15-year-old Dowman underlines how highly-rated he is at the club. While he’s not eligible to play this season, it appears he’s being fully integrated into the senior set-up with a view to playing a part next year. Goalkeepers Jack Porter and Tommy Setford also travelled.
The Gunners return to action on 15 February when they face Leicester City at the King Power. By that point, Mikel Arteta’s team could be nine points behind Liverpool who play Everton at Goodison Park in a rearranged fixture three days earlier.
Enjoy the break lads. You’ve more than deserved it.
COYG
A much needed break from football for the fans as well.
Bon voyage, a lot of our games up until Liverpool are winnable on paper, champions league fixtures notwithstanding. A few of the boys back healthy and I think we’ll go on a tear.
Do Arsenal have to pay an unauthorised absence fine for taking Dowman out of School during term time?
Maybe he can say he’s on work experience?!
Parents just had to sign a permission slip.
I would never get away with taking my kids out of school for a cheap holiday 🙄.
I was the recipient of at least one family trip to disney as a kid in the middle of the school year- let the kid have some fun i say
If Martinelli is out for an extended period we are f’d. We do have Nwaneri to come in for him, but that leaves only Sterling as an attacking option off of the bench which is ridiculous for a club our size.
Didn’t look so serious so we should be OK. If it’s a 3 week issue we would have Ethan get some games there and push comes to shove players as versatile as Timber (with White back soon) and Rice can cover that position for a game or two
We should give more academy players a chance to break into the first team like Nwaneri and MLS.
Maybe time to think about throwing in one of the Academy players. Khayon Edwards has been fairly prolific at Under 18 in the past, and is now scoring consistently in Premier League 2.
Ben White’s recovery will be greatly enhanced by the warm sun he bathes in throughout the trip
I think all Arsenal fans deserve a trip to Dubai too paid by PGMOL and VAR for all the BS we had to deal with every season.
Personally I wasn’t that bothered about last night – with White back for the Leicester game and just Saka missing and the Welcome break in Dubai not to mention the meteoric rise of Lewis Skelly and Nwaneri I think there is lots to look forward to in the future 🙂
It’s all looking positive regardless what the media think – MLS and Nwaneri emerging as top players. I am glad that Arteta decided to wait until the summer and didn’t listen to those who put pressure on him to sign a player he perhaps didn’t really want. I see good things coming 🙂