Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Danny Welbeck remains sidelined due to a knee problem and will miss Sunday’s Community Shield showdown with Chelsea.
The England international sat out the final month of the last campaign after bruising his patella against Jose Mourinho’s Blues in late April and still hasn’t returned to full first team training.
The injury to the former-Manchester United man, coupled with the absence of Alexis Sanchez – who doesn’t return from holiday until next week – means Arsene Wenger has a straight choice to make between Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott for the central striking role at Wembley on Sunday.
It looks as though Emiliano Martinez will provide back-up to Petr Cech with the boss revealing that David Ospina had today undertaken his first pre-season session during the club’s Members’ Day training event at the Emirates.
Mathieu Flamini also trained today after missing the Emirates Cup and is apparently in contention to make the squad.
Arseblog News isn’t sure what’s happened to Tomas Rosicky though – the veteran, who this summer had his contract extended for another season, hasn’t played since picking up a knock on international duty in June and looks likely to be a Wembley spectator again.
Yes was going to mention Rosicky, zero mention of him recently. Hope he’s still got a fair part to play next season! #RAS
It’s my opinion that Rosicky should have moved on this summer, he’s a decent option but I’m sure we could find better value for the squad place given that he hardly played at all last season and will probably play even less this season.
True, if he hardly features again this season, it would be foolish to have kept him. Personally, i’m a big fan of his style and attitude, and love seeing him in an Arsenal shirt!
I really hope he’s going to be rewarded with a premier league winners medal. Wonder if arsene sat him down and said that this was the year, why leave now…
Wenger already came out a few weeks ago saying rosicky was out for 6 weeks…. so dont know why that would of changed.
Maybe people missed that bit of information..
Hope welbeck isn’t our new diaby. Really want him to step up this season.
Be fair, someone needs to keep the medics in the Diaby Suite in a job.
And how exactly is that being fair to Welbz? Am I missing something?
Be fair to the medics, it means, they have had lots of employment out of Abou and must be in danger of losing their jobs.
Humour… (attempted at least and never best when explained).
…am I missing something?
The joke apparently.
Sorry, it’s too much for me to have to explain it a second time, just for you.
I’m sure you have a far better sense of humour. Please entertain us…
Oh come on, love Diaby as much as the next, but ‘Diaby Suite’ was kind of funny (and obvious).
Back to Welbeck, it seems an odd injury to me, but much better to take it slow.
Theo will score.
If it happens, it happens.
I think that comment by theo was both said wrong an/or in the wrong context and therefore misunderstood by everyone. I say this because surely if he wanted it to come across as it inforunately has, he would have followed it up with “and if it doesnt, it doesn’t”? He celebrated his goal like he loves the club. I think people just need to lay off him until facts come to light. In truth no one knows whats happening behind the scenes. Support the player.
Sorry, but Adebayor did thump the badge when he scored too. Call me sceptic, pragmatic or whatever, but that gesture doesn’t really mean anything nowaday$. Did you see my dollar sign?
Ya, that seemed so much like it was an agent instructed badge thump, meant to please (and I’m glad it pleased you)
And sorry to say this about such a well mannered (and well coached) Theo, but the royal style in which he tried to throw his hand, arm outstretched, palm outwards, towards the fans later reeked of che**ea captain.
Thumb me down, but Walcott is the nicest, AND most PR savvy guy in this team. I am always ambivalent about him.
Look, I loathe John Terry as much as the next guy, but if you’re trying to argue that Walcott doesn’t love playing for his club then Terry is a pretty bad comparison to make your case. Terry clearly loves playing for Chelsea, and why wouldn’t he? Any other club would be ashamed to be represented by such a worm, but he managed to land on the one club in England that would embrace him.
I think it will happen
I thought Rosicky was out for 5 weeks with the injury he picked up with the Czech Republic? Did I imagine that?
I’m still excited about Welbeck and I still think he was a steal at the price we paid for him, given the inflation English guys usually get tacked onto their transfer fees. It’s easy to forget about him when he’s been out injured given all the star power and big personalities we have in attack, but I’m still hoping he’s a big part of Arsenal’s future.
Totally agreed. He practically won us the fa cup and considering the price paid for sterling, he is definitely a steal.
He reminds me of Yossi Benayoun.
Welbeck is an ok player.
Absolutely. Welbeck was a fantastic buy for 16 million due to LVG getting his swagger on – which actually meant throwing his weight around to let everyone know who’s boss regardless of the consequences. Falcao on loan for a disasterous season for the same price as buying Danny Welbeck? What a chump LVG is. I liked the fact the last Arsecast raised the point (in the middle of noting we now have too many midfielders to fit) that Danny Welbeck, deserves to be used at CF to replace Giroud at times. He can play that role and should be given… Read more »
I can tell you what happened to Rosicky. Maureen makes a show of wanting to keep Cech, but we all know the £10M fee and the eye-watering wages they no longer have to pay for a bench-warmer is like music to their ears. Then Maureen starts mouthing off about how much we spend, us being title contenders blah blah blah. He’s looking nervously over his shoulder at us, that’s for sure. So Cech arrives, and as soon as he’s out on international duty, Rosicky gets injured. Look, I’m not casting doubts on anyone in the squad regarding their loyalty, possible… Read more »
What are you talking about?
He’s suggesting that Mourinho sent Cech to destroy Arsenal from within, and Rosicky was the first victim of this plot while Cech was with him on international duty.
Oh, I used to smoke too much weed until I got way too paranoid as well.
I have the same problem when I eat too many blue smarties.
It’s Rambling Pete’s conspiratorial cousin.
please get well-back soon!
Oi! I’m Arseblood!….get you’re own name! Ha!
What?
What about his wife?
Welbeck has been a few days away from returning to training for weeks now.
Let’s play Flamini for some time in Community Shield. What Zlatan did, Flamini can do better!
That is actually a good idea….to break some legs…,
Welbeck, Oh Welbeck! Come back soon, we miss you
Welbz. The best defensive striker in the league
I agree. He doesn’t stop closing opposition defenders down, gives them no time on the ball at all. I really like him. I just hope he can add a few more goals to his game. Definitely got it in him to be a 20-25 goal a season striker, I reckon.
Speaking on July 13, on the first day of the Singapore tour, Arsene Wenger said: “Rosicky came back with a knee problem from the Czech game against Iceland. Rosicky will be four to five weeks.” (http://www.arsenal.com/team-news)
I never thought we’d still have Flamini in the squad at this point when the Summer began, I guess all those rumors about him joining Podolski were false or either Wenger is waiting to keep him as cover until he gets another DM in (my hope). Nothing against Flamini at all as he’s a hard worker, great attitude, etc., but when Arteta is injured (which is inevitable) and Flamini is the main backup to Coquelin we are in trouble.
Welbeck has been out over three months now and who knows how much longer for a patella bruise?
When we sold the scum the glass legged rapist I was hoping we’d as for Welbz in return but alas it didn’t happen. I was delighted when we signed him and think he’s the perfect fit for us. He did okay last season but I wish he’d got a few more goals. I recall remarking he was a ‘genius’ several times before he joined us. The goal against the scum will help him move on. Was so happy when he celebrated. Hopefully he’ll crack on this season and while I wouldn’t say no to Benzema I honestly believe with Giroud,… Read more »
Blogs, I don’t see you lecturing him on the use of “rapist”.
I didn’t see the comment – for the record: people can always email us using the contact form on the site to alert us to things like this. Cheers.
Hi dbslbu, please don’t refer to van Persie in that way again on this site. Thanks. Feel free to call him names if you wish, but not that.
Chocolate legged sexual predator?
No
Welbz is 2-3 weeks away from being 2-3 weeks away.
Welbz? WELBZ? WTF?!
I appreciate a good pun (or an attempt at one) as much as the next guy, but please leave shit nicknames like “Welbz” to the likes of Le Grove or Liverpool fans.
I see it more and more every day, and Rozza and Welbz are certainly the two that drive me beyond nuts.
What the fuck – we’re not scousers, are we??
(First time I ever criticize this blog. But enough’s enough!)
Probably a tabloid pisstake I would think
Yes, tons and tons of free content every day of the week is not enough to save us from criticism for using a nickname to make a pun in a headline.
It’s an unforgiving world we live in.
“Dat guy Welbz” was a nickname given to him by Ravel Morrison when they were playing together in the youth set up at United. The nickname then gathered momentum via some social media “banter” by the Ox and Wilshere as they were welcoming him to the Arsenal. Even the official Arsenal site uses the same nickname, as you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bo_hkjJyIk Not that it matters to me but I haven’t seen “Rozza” used by Blogs, but mostly in the comments section when Rosicky is discussed. Nicknaming Arsenal players is a term of endearment anyways, so what’s your problem ?… Read more »
Go to the Arsenal Gent. That probably suits you better.
Sigh, I have a feeling that Welbeck is leaving. Would love to see him succeed and poke the misery into LVG.
I just don’t buy this Welbeck and Rosicky is unfit thing. It is just too convenient in a transfer window.
When Debuchy came, wasn’t it said that he could also play DM?
When Rosicky and Arteta play their last game for Arsenal, I want them to leave with at least one Premier League Title medal. Having seen so many Judases in the last decade, players like these should be given the respect they deserve.
Off Topic= Can’t we sign Reus and Loan him to Dortmund for the season? I wish he’d be an Arsenal Player someday SOON!!
Apologies Blogs! I’m a bitter individual! We were almost there and then “the little boy inside” him piped up. I honestly believe we’d have won the league that season if he’d not sold out. We’ve built something better now and he’s off in a lesser league.